| |
Juniperus Rigida, the Needle Juniper, is a very popular
species for bonsai. His name alludes to the sharp needles
that can make it difficult to work with the plant.
Juniperus Rigida is also known as the Temple Juniper
because it is often found planted in the garden
landscapes of Japanese temples. Native to Japan, Korea
and Manchuria, this stiff-needled Juniper may reach a
height of 10 meters in the wild.
The bark is thin and scaly, red-brown, later gray and
furrowed on old trees. The branchlets are slender,
triangular, red-brown, with scattered spreading leaves.
The branchlets are drooping and give the plant a graceful
appearance.
As the name suggests Juniperus Rigida has sharply pointed
needle foliage. Evergreen tree with needle-like leaves,
in whorls of 3, rigid, sharply pointed and prickly, with
a V-shaped cross-section, 25-28 mm long, about 1 mm wide,
deep green on lower surface with a narrow white stomatal
band above.
The flowers are dioecious, individual flowers are either
male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any
one plant, so both male and female plants must be grown
if seed is required. Pollinated by Wind. Female plants
will bear black fruits, 6-10 mm across. The seeds ripen
in October.
Hardiness zones 5-7, (-26°C/-15°F, -15°C/5°F) in
Winter. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or
moist soil and can tolerate drought. Succeeds in most
soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or
slightly alkaline soil.
|
|
