This cultivar grows to some 15 feet (5 m.) tall but remains slender, between 3 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.) wide. I find them to be a haven for mosquitos. Too late, I just now sadly discovered your website and am disheartened by all this invaluable information. We also paid way too much for this project (so feel pretty stupid with that one!) It grows well in the sun, and is deer resistant and drought tolerant. Its dense foliage is dark green and can be clipped into different shapes. Some popular varieties include California Juniper, Spartan Juniper and Sierra Juniper. It has made for some cool looking flower/plant bed areas too. needed to create privacy. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'absolutegardener_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_14',175,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-absolutegardener_com-medrectangle-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'absolutegardener_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_15',175,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-absolutegardener_com-medrectangle-1-0_1');.medrectangle-1-multi-175{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Why is this? The structure of the root system Too much watering will weaken spartan junipers by encouraging pests like root rot or fungi. Hi, I live in zone 5 and have a juniper bush in the front. Some people dont seem to notice the stench. For the above comment from Barbara: I live in Payson, AZ, They have killed all the other plants in my front garden area and are starting to invade my porch and sidewalk Ive already killed 2 of them but there are still 8 left. Then, if there is room, you could supplement it and take the attention away from it by surrounding it with other plants. This unique selection was made in a nursery in California in 1961, with the goal of producing a tree that was smaller and more compact than types that existed at that time. Any other differences between these 2 choices? I am at wits end. You can fertilize your Spartan juniper once in early spring and then again in late summer for maximum health. Place the root ball in the middle of the hole. Originating in the northern regions of Europe and Asia, spartan junipers have been used as natural borders for centuries because they were able to thrive on severe conditions faced by humans living in these areas. The remarkable trees can spread to a width of 4 to 5 feet. Height/Spread: Upright tapered habit, 15 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide. Id love to keep these trees alive and have pruned a little, noticing 2 healthy shoots coming from the ground about 4 feet each. This is because spartan junipers are actually coniferous trees, not shrubs or bushes and at maturity can grow anywhere between 50-70 feet tall! thank you, Tony. The spiky plant is often used to prevent erosion on steep hillsides because of its low water requirements. You can completely remove most of the branches, but leave a few at 6 to 8 inches long to give you "handles" to work with. I have 2 big fat junipers by my front porch steps that are10 years old. I can still feel the major OUCHIES when I was a child falling down and into a juniper shrub and the rash that proceeded the contact from the egregious shrub. Are the root system like a regular tree? I would recommend a different shade loving plant if there will be full shade. It is actually a coniferous plant that belongs to the cypress family. Also, I take offense at the person who made the comment that junipers scream mid-western landscaping as if things associated with the mid-west are inferior. Spartan juniper trees thrive in Zones 4-9almost everywhere except the very coldest and very hottest parts of the country. Hi Ann, I had three juniper trees on my lot when I moved in and I added more lower growing varieties in strategic locations around my lot. It can cause browning and blistering of the leaves, which can, in turn, lead to infection. This is a difficult question to answer. They usually have a very deep taproot to take up water from deep in the soil, as well as a mat of fibrous roots closer to the soil's surface to capture rain water. close to bush. Are there species of juniper that do not produce berries? Hi Pat, The northwest corner by the garage has 2 mature spruces, 1 green and 1 blue along with a maple on the side of the garage. Spartan Juniper Southern Living Plants Juniper trees come from China. The best time of the year to fertilise spartan junipers is in winter, January-February (in the USA). btw, Blue Point junipers can get to be 15' tall or more and 5-6' wide. Plus all the other projects take precedence over messing with existing healthy low-maintenance plantsso my question is, how can I improve their look? I have a tree form juniper in front of my house. Right now I have about 200 feet of raggedy, diseased, out of control red tips across my property. Dig a hole that is roughly three times the width of the container your Spartan juniper arrived in. It may grow to 20 feet tall in 15 years. The spruce sprigs should be placed in a circle with about 16 inches of space between each one. It tolerates alkaline soil and is quite drought-tolerant but root regeneration is slow after transplanting from a field nursery. Hi. thanks for your help. The original tree is native to northeast Asia, including China. They grow to be just 15 feet tall, with a narrow spread of 3-5 feet, making them great additions to compact spaces. Spartan juniper plants also have a shallow root system. Your Floors: Zebra, Tiger, and Teak Wood, Oh, My! Help identifying unusual cones on picea abies pendula, Planting a privacy cedar hedge right besides a driveway. This may require treatment with copper-based fungicides or sulfur sprays. I cant imagine anyone planting junipers anymore. Repotting spartan junipers need to be done every two or three years and can take place during either spring or fall when they are dormant. These trees are not particularly susceptible to any pest issues or disease problems. Their surface may be dimpled like a golf ball. Some botanists do not separate J. virginiana from silicicola. Make sure there is plenty of space around the spartan juniper for it to grow. Consider yourself lucky. The canopy of a Bradford Pear will soon overshadow that area I am considering. Most landscapes incorporate Taylor Junipers by planted them as hedges in narrow areas between a pool and fence or as accent pieces flanking doorways. You might consider putting some plants around them that are smaller, with a tighter growth habit, if there is room. I live in upstate NY, so it gets cold and snowy here. If you do prune your Spartans, act in summer for best results. To support this business model, ThisOldHousemay be compensated if you purchase through links on our website. Absolute Gardener is a reader-supported site. It tolerates alkaline soil and is quite drought-tolerant but root regeneration is slow after Whenever I go for evening walks I can hear the lively ruckus from a plethora of rats that live in the juniper-ed landscapes. We are planning to replace them with a more manageable shrub. Dont forget to put sponges around the outside of the potted spruce sprigs to help with moisture retention. Well, this strong, straight Juniper was discovered in Taylor, Nebraska and developed by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. Evergreen (screening): Spartan juniper, Wichita blue juniper, Rocky Mountain juniper, Arizona cypress; Evergreen (aesthetic): Pine, spruce, alligator juniper, Hollywood juniper . They are evergreen with needle-like and/or scale-like leaves. I just hate the smell of these things, like cat pee, and its painful because they are attractive. . Therefore, unlike the extensive root system that would be required to anchor a very tall tree, I doubt your juniper will develop roots that would damage your retaining wall. It is also known as S-juniper, which is the common name for the species. They will not plant anything that will grow high eventually. Hi Matt, Absolute Gardener is a reader-supported site. Unlike most evergreens, which produce needle-like foliage, junipers and arborvitae have tiny, overlapping leaves that resemble scales. These diseases force foliage to turn yellow, brown or red and wilt. About half the mature height of Skyrocket, good for smaller gardens. Note the off-coloration of plants on the top and left as compaired to green color of the healthy . It remains densely upright, spreading to perhaps 5 feet wide, and eventually reaching no more than 8 feet at its widest point. Like the Austree Willow . Smaller trees have a better chance of survival and recover a bit faster from transplant shock than larger trees. Another possibility would be that it is Juniperus pfitzeriana Old Gold, that is another popular variety. If I were you I would probably try to trim it in 1 or 2 phases. Plant spartan junipers about 18 inches apart. First, if I ripped out the bushes and planted grass and or blueberry bushes would that hold the soil on the hill any better. At one foot thick it sounds very sturdy! Fertilize spartan junipers with a spruce fertilizer in the early spring. Trimming your juniper to look like a bonsai is definitely possible! noticed (in past two weeks or soIm not terribly observant of flora) there has appeared Juniper trees, like the Blue Point, grow about 1 foot per year. Ive never really liked it and thought it was always dying because it had yellowish leaves. Its not tall but it needs pruning because its a bit wide for its spot. For example, two Spartan Junipers in matched terra-cotta pots flanking a front doorway would make for a handsome display. Spartan Juniper Tree. Severe pruning is not recommended. If you want to plant a privacy screen, space your Spartan juniper trees five feet apart, or three feet apart for a solid wall. If doing so would kill it, is it alright to cut the roots of the younger limbs, (the ones further out), down to the main roots, that they sprouted from, without killing the whole bush? The only obvious place to plant a screen of large conifers is in front of the wall planted far enough out as to not crowd the wall as they grow up. The arborist doesn't think the trees will last more than a few years (and that is with a ton of TLC) and the landscaper only guarantees them for one year. . This stage produces what looks like a small spruce tree with short branches. When first planted, they should be watered two to three times per week for the first month. I won't go into all of the details but basically because we lost a lot of trust over the experience, we called in a certified arborist to look at the trees and he basically said that we have a very low chance they will survive. Or alternatively, here is the juniper tree for sale. Generally, spartans should be pruned every year in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. Here they were not given adequate room, so they have been sheared off along the walkway. So, the next time you decide to tear out those old Juniper shrubs, consider re-introducing them into your new landscape design to enjoy all of the benefitsthese versatile plantshave to offer. Now is also an ideal time for selective pruning of spartan juniper to shape the plant. Resistant to juniper blight. Pests and disease: spartan juniper is susceptible to a variety of pests, such as aphids. Junipers can get to be just 15 feet tall and 3 to feet... 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