Native Plants As Habitat For Wildlife - Native Plant Society of ...

Propagation:
Seed first stratified at 40°C for 3 months. Cultivars are grafted.
Juniperus spp. (junipers)
Description:
Junipers are one of the most drought tolerant of the evergreens. They have scale-like,
awl-like or needle-like leaves. Male and female cones are borne on separate plants. The
male cones are catkin-like while the female comes resemble small blue-grey fruit. The
'conelets' mature in 1 to 3 years, depending on the species, to become dark blue, berrylike
fruit with a powdery coating or bloom. They are fragrant and form the basis of gin,
but are believed to be poisonous to livestock. Many species and cultivars exist, varying
from ground covers to columnar forms of 4 to 5 m (12 to 15 ft.)
Juniperus horizontalis (creeping juniper) is native to the Canadian prairies and is
generally only 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in.) high. The leaves are scale or awl-like. Color
varies from blue to green, often turning purple with the onset of colder weather in late
fall. Some of the more common selections are 'Bar Harbour' (grey-green), 'Blue Chip'
(bright blue), 'Waukegan’ (blue turning purple in fall), 'Dunvegan Blue' (silver blue),
'Prince of Wales' (bright green), and ‘Wapiti' (green turning purple in fall).
Juniperus communis (common juniper) is native to the prairies as well as much of North
America, Europe, and Asia. Extremely variable in form and height, it is usually about 0.6
m (2 ft.) and tends to turn purple in cooler fall weather. It is identifiable by its sharppointed
needles which have a white band down the centre of the upper side. The needles
are found in whorls of three. Indigenous peoples used the berries, which ripen in their
third year, both decoratively and as an insect repellent. Early settlers used the berries as a
coffee substitute. Today the fruit is used in the manufacture of gin as well as a Norwegian
beer. 'Depressa Aurea' is a selection with golden yellow foliage equal or superior to the
better known 'Golden Pfitzer'.
Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper) is native to Canada. It varies in form
from pyramidal to columnar, and attains heights from 4 to 5 m (12 to 15 if.).
“Scopulorum” means growing on rocks or cliffs and refers to its native habitat. The
foliage is green, silver or blue-grey. Among the denser selections offered are 'Blue
Heaven', 'Grizzly Bear', and 'Medora'. Most are susceptible to Saskatoon-juniper rust.
Because the berries mature in their second year but often persist on the plant into their
third year, plants may have one, two, and three
year old fruit.
Culture:
Junipers prefer a well drained soil and full sun and will usually perform well on southern
and western exposures where cedars will riot. Unfortunately, many are alternate hosts for
saskatoon-juniper rust which should be pruned and removed as soon as noticed.
38