Flaky juniper

Flaky juniper: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact, wide shrub about 1 m high and 1.5 m wide; some cultivars are low and creeping, others taller.

Foliage

Evergreen; short, prickly needles, steel blue to silvery blue, close against the branches.

Bark

Reddish brown and flaking in thin scales; this gives the species its name.

Fruit

Small, glossy black ‘berries’ (fleshy cones) on female plants.

Roots

Branching and deep; tolerates drought but not wet feet.

Plants: April–May and September–October · Pruning: May

Why grow it?

• Steel blue and dense all year: a striking splash of colour, even in winter.
• Compact and slow-growing, so also suitable for small gardens and containers.
• Very hardy and drought-tolerant, ideal for sunny, poor soil.
• Combines well with green, grey and red-leaved plants in rock gardens and gravel gardens.
• Little work: almost no pruning and no feeding.

Flaky juniper: where does it grow best?

• Full sun; in shade it becomes thin and loses its blue colour.
• Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky. Dry to moderately moist.
• Tolerates wind and drought, but not a waterlogged spot or standing water in winter.
• Allow 1–1.5 m of space per plant; in a rock garden or container you can plant it closer to other plants.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

1 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Heather: A low, flowering patch of colour next to the blue needles.
• Lavender: Likes the same sun and dry soil; flowers purple beside the blue-grey foliage.
• Stonecrop: A succulent for dry spots with late flowers.
• Blue fescue: Fine, blue-grey foliage that echoes the colour.

Flaky juniper: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

1. Plant in April–May or in September–October, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball; in heavy clay mix in sand or grit for better drainage.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot; the base of the stem must not end up deeper.
4. Water thoroughly straight away and keep the soil moist, but never wet, in the first year.
5. Cover the soil with grit or bark to suppress weeds, keeping the trunk itself clear.

Care

Water

In the first year, once a week in dry weather. After that it looks after itself, except in a container or during long droughts.

Feeding

Usually not necessary. On poor soil a thin layer of compost in spring is enough.

Mulching

A layer of grit or bark keeps weeds down and protects the roots.

Combing out

Brown needles on the inside are normal: gently comb them out with your fingers to let in more light and air.

In a container

Use a pot with drainage holes and compost mixed with sand or grit; water as soon as the top layer is dry.

Tip: Plant it in sun in well-drained soil. Brown needles on the inside are normal and you can gently comb them out.

Flaky juniper: when to prune it?

Pruning months: May.

When: It hardly needs pruning; trim in May where necessary.

How:

• Cut branches that spread too far or hang over the path back to a side shoot.
• Remove dead or damaged branches completely, back to living wood.
• Comb brown, dead needles out of the inside of the shrub.
• Wear gloves: the needles are prickly and can irritate sensitive skin.

Caution: Never cut into bare, brown wood: it does not regrow from there and leaves a gap.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings

In September–October: take 10–15 cm cuttings with a heel, in sandy compost in a cold frame. Rooting takes several months. Cultivars do not come true from seed, so choose cuttings.

Layering

On low, creeping cultivars, branches that touch the ground sometimes root by themselves. Pin them down; after a year you can sever them.

Flaky juniper: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Very hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgian winters.
• Shake heavy wet snow off the branches, otherwise they may break or splay apart.
• In a pot: choose a pot with drainage and put it in a sheltered spot; wrap it in hessian or bubble wrap in hard frost.

Diseases and pests

• Brown needles inside: Normal: old needles on the inside die off. Comb them out gently; brown tips on the outside point to a problem.
• Root rot: The plant declines and the foliage turns brown in a spot that is too wet. Plant in well-drained soil and do not overwater.
• Twig dieback: Brown, dying shoot tips. Cut affected parts back to healthy wood and dispose of them.
• Spider mites: In hot, dry summers the foliage turns grey-yellow and you see fine webs. Spray the plant with a jet of water.

Through the year

• April: Plant. Remove dead branches.
• May: Plant. Trim lightly if needed; comb out brown needles.
• June: Water young plants in dry weather.
• July: Watch for spider mites in dry weather.
• August: Remove affected branches.
• September: Plant. Take cuttings.
• October: Plant. Take cuttings.
• December: Shake heavy snow off the branches.

Did you know?

• The species name squamata means ‘scaly’ and refers to the flaking bark.
• In the wild the species grows in mountains, including the Himalayas.
• The blue colour of the foliage is strengthened by a thin waxy coating.