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| I'm currently trying to replace some overgrown shore junipers in a 25 year old landscape. I've got a feeling that the ones there now might be 'Blue Pacifica' based on their color and appearance (but I am just guessing). They have grown to 3'+ in height and have a spread of over 15'. I need to replace them with something that has about the same color and look, but would not get quite as high. Ideally, I'd like them to stay under about 16". I also want to make sure that whatever I choose will not experience the dieback seen in some types of junipers. The ones I am replacing show absolutely zero dieback/foliage gaps (except where they have been sheared back very hard against the sidewalk). Anyone have experience with something that would match these specs and remain in-tolerance for a few decades or more? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| I like Juniperus horizontalis 'Hughes'...close to your specs. |
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| Thank you very much for your recommendation, Whaas. Anyone else? |
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- Posted by dave_in_nova VA zone 7a (My Page) on Thu, Mar 25, 10 at 8:32
| Three feet tall seems too tall for a 'Blue Pacific', but maybe I've never seen a really old one! For a well-drained sunny area, I really like Juniperus procumbens 'Nana'. It stays low (like around 12"), spreads and is quite dense. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 25, 10 at 11:18
| is this THE brandon .. click my link to my tree planting instructions brandon ???... seriously .. a conifer ??? .. posted in the shrub forum??? are you asking conifer ???'s in the shrub forum ... is this a dream.. lol ken PS: maybe its another brandon .. hmmmmmmm |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Mar 25, 10 at 12:28
| BTW what other junipers will survive your zone???? perhaps i can make some suggestions if you tell me what juniper other than shores can take the heat and humidity .... ken |
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| Having just stumbled across this one and not having grown it myself, I have been using 'Daub's Frosted' juniper in landscapes. If it lives up to its billing it is a winner. I have seen it in person in a 5 gallon container and it is beautiful. Blue-green older foliage, yellow-green new growth with a thick "chinensis" look to it. All of the pix that I have viewed show it to be around 2' or less and with very, very horizontal growth. Check it out. hortster |
Here is a link that might be useful: Daub's Frosted juniper
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- Posted by gardenscout z6 NE RI (My Page) on Sun, Mar 28, 10 at 19:17
| Ken, do you really have to scold people every time they post a conifer question in the shrubs forum? Is it really necessary? Conifers can be shrubs too. Let it go, man. |
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| Thanks to everyone that gave suggestions. Hey Ken, I've been watching the news about the militia roundup up your way. Did you escape the dragnet? |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Tue, Mar 30, 10 at 13:16
| no conifer militia up here ... was blissfully unaware of the happenings... but you didnt reply what kind of juniper does ok for you.. other than the shore ... i have lots of pix of differing kinds.. if you tell me what wont grow in your z7 ... hey scout... brandon and i have been goofing around here for a few years now.. i presumed HE KNEW it was all tongue in cheek ... sorry if i offended your sensibilities ... though i totally disagree that a conifer can be a shrub ... when shrub is used as a term of art [which an owner of an arboretum should know better] ... a lot of newbies use this site.. and sure doesnt hurt to make sure .. when a term is used.. that it is used properly ... a conifer can not be rejuvenation pruned like a shrub .. wait!! .. i am back on the soapbox.. NEVER MIND .... lol ken |
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| Conifer is a specific type of shrub or tree. Just as decidious is a specific type of shrub or tree. I know Juniperus horizontalis 'Hughes' has been around forever, but its not used often. A gentlemen at McKay nursery told me Hughes is one of his favorite junipers on the market...so I figured I had to try it. Pics on the web are terrible...if for some reason you need a better idea I can get you a pic. I have one that is 3' wide. But I'm sure Ken has quite the collection to offer you. |
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| "a conifer can not be rejuvenation pruned like a shrub .." ken, I have seen Taxus return from being chopped back until looking like a bare hatrack. Granted, may take two or three years to get going again. |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Wed, Mar 31, 10 at 15:20
| yes.. yes.. horster... FIRST you ID what you have [like whether it is a tree.. shrub conifer... etc ].. then you find out how to prune it [like whether it is a tree.. shrub conifer... etc ] .. and then you find the exception to the general rule ... lol ken |
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| I've never seen "can be rejuvenation pruned" as part of the definition for a shrub. Some other types of shrubs don't lend themselves to this treatment, anyway. To me, a conifer, that grows to the height of what most of us think of as a shrub, is as much of a shrub as a forsythia or a viburnum. Conifers can be trees, shrubs, or groundcovers. I think Ken is the only person I've seen differ on that point. But hey, he can still be my buddy even if he doesn't know a shrubs a shrub (-; Ken, I don't have a list of junipers that do well here, but I think most do. Of course, virginiana grows like a weed on crack here. Most of the various junipers I've planted seem to do great. The only ones, that come to mind, that don't do as well here as I would like are the blue stars and closely related cultivars. They tend to die out a little in spots (not sure how unique that is to this climate). Someone today recommended using a cotoneaster for my application. I don't know why I hadn't considered it in this situation, but now I'm kind of leaning towards that direction. My customer is supposed to see what she thinks of cotoneaster tomorrow. I'm still open to conifer suggestions though. In additions to the low-growing form (if I end up using conifers for this job), they'll need to have a more needle-like foliage instead of the scaly foliage on many junipers. |
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