NOTE: In this article, Common juniper and Juniperus communis may be used interchangeably; in fact, Juniperus communis is the botanical name for Common juniper.
Common junipers are native to the cool temperature climates of the northern hemisphere, and have a nearly complete circumpolar distribution throughout parts of North America, Europe, and Asia. The common juniper is one of the most widely distributed shrubs in the world. The hardy evergreen conifers, members of the Cupressaceae family, are variable in form depending on the cultivar and conditions where they are growing.
The species form is usually a low-spreading shrub that grows no more than 5 feet tall and up to 13 feet across, but there are other forms that grow just a few inches in height. There are only a few varieties bred for landscape use that are more than 15 feet tall. All common junipers are characterized by short needle-like, aromatic leaves and berry-like green cones that turn a deep purple/blue as they mature.
Why does my Juniperus communis roots have rot?
Root rot on your Common juniper (Juniperus communis) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Why does my Common juniper have gray mold spots?
Gray mold spots are a type of fungus that is found a lot in flowers, and spreads quite rapidly. If you notice brown (or gray) spots, it is probably this fungus. Don’t ignore these symptoms, as they may end up killing your plant.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Juniperus communis. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my Common juniper have leaf spots?
We provide you with all the information you need to identify and save your plants if they display signs like leaves that suddenly change color or wilt/droop. This sort of sickness is one of the most aggravating for Common juniper owners.
Why are my Common juniper leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:
Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Juniperus communis in question:
- Yellow patches between leaf veins on elder leaves are the first sign of magnesium shortage. Veins continue to be green while the leaf’s core turns yellow. The leaf’s edges yellow last.
- Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
- Sulfur deficiency starts with the newest leaves, turning them yellow throughout.
- Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
- A broad yellowing indicates a nitrogen deficiency. Yellowing starts with older, inner leaves. Yellowing spreads as it advances, eventually touching new leaves as well.
Our Solution
You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.
Is my Common juniper sunburned?
It is simple to determine whether your Common juniper (your Juniperus communis) has sunburn. Your plant will change color in this instance, beginning to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
The leaves of your Common juniper can also change color in case it gets too much water or not enough light, as we saw above.
The bottom of the yellow leaves with a shaded area closer to the base can be examined to determine if they have been sunburned. If this part remains greener, the yellow leaf is most likely sunburned and not something else.
Why are my Common juniper leaves turning brown?
A plant’s browning leaves are typically a symptom that it has been sunburned and has been exposed to excessive amounts of direct sunlight. Don’t worry; your plant probably won’t perish as a result, but its growth will be negatively impacted.
Should I leave my Juniperus communis in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Juniperus communis (or Common juniper) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.
Our Solution
As stated in the paragraph above, the cure is straightforward: simply position your plant’s Common juniper so that it is out of direct sunlight. With proper watering and this method, your plant should quickly come back to life.
Why are my Juniperus communis leaves drooping or wilting ?
When you become dehydrated, this usually happens. Large plants are more vulnerable since they need more water on a regular basis than smaller plants.
You may quickly determine if your Juniperus communis plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.
Our Solution
If the soil in the container is completely dry, you must first moisten it to guarantee that your plant’s roots absorb the benefits of the water. One common mistake is to drown the Common juniper right away after a dry time because you think it needs a lot of water.
This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Juniperus communis
Water Occasionally
Water is essential to the survival of your plant, however, it is important to balance the rate of watering. As we explained above, overwatering could have fatal consequences for your Juniperus communis.
The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Juniperus communis is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Juniperus communis close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Common juniper Dust-Free
This one relates to indoor plants. Just like your furniture, dust collects on the leaves of your indoor plants. The issue is that this can block the photosynthesis process from starting, which would cause the plants to gradually lose their color.
This would also make the pests happy, a real descent into hell for your Common juniper.
To remove the dust from the leaves of your plant, take a microfiber cloth and gently rub the leaves. You can wet the cloth to make it easier to remove the dust, but never use corrosive products (such as rubbing alcohol!)
Keep drainage in mind
If you tend to overwater, you need to pay attention to your drainage, and we advise choosing a saucer and a pot with drainage holes if they are not already there.
In the meantime, if you don’t have holes in your pots, you can add volcanic rocks (or any rocks with holes) at the bottom of your pot, this way it will create a channel so that the water doesn’t stay in your skin too much (to avoid that roots start to rot!)
