Juniperus turbinata
Juniperus turbinata
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
Juniperus turbinata is not a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate short-lived temperatures down to around -5°c when fully dormant[1]. It is native mainly to coastal regions of the western Mediterranean, though can also be found further inland, experiencing hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. It can succeed in regions where the annual precipitation is only 200mm[2]. Requires an open, sunny position and a well-drained soil, favouring but not restricted to calcareous substrates[2]. The plant can experience sea spray and severe winter storms in its native habitat[2]. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental[3]. The plant is said to be able to live for more than 1,000 years[1]. Plants are usually monoecious, though dioecious forms occur and can be locally predominant[2]. In this case, both male and female forms would need to be grown if seeds were to be produced.
Propagation
The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[4, 5]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[6]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[7]. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/early autumn in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[7, 4]. Layering in September/early autumn. Takes 12 months[4]. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Juniperus+turbinata>
Pollinators
Winf
References
- [1]The Gymnosperm Database — http://www.conifers.org/index.htm ↩︎A vast amount of information on conifers and families of gymnosperms.
- [2]European Atlas of Forest Tree Species — San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Dur · European Commission · 2016 · http://10.2788/038466 · ISBN 978-92-79-52833-0 ↩︎An excellent guide to the forest trees of Europe. It can be downloaded from the Internet
- [3]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
- [4]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
- [5]Conifers. — Rushforth. K. · Christopher Helm · 1987 · ISBN 0-7470-2801-X ↩︎Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.
- [6]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
- [7]RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 — F. Chittendon. · Oxford University Press · 1951 · ISBN - ↩︎Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]).
- [8]Antiviral activity of some Tunisian medicinal plants against Herpes simplex virus type 1 — Sassi, A. Ben, Harzallah-Skhiri, F., Bourgougnon, N. and Aou · 2008 · http:// http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786410701589790 ↩︎
- [9]CosIng — http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/ ↩︎CosIng is the European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients.
- [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎