A Grower Perspective

There are some pretty negative opinions about junipers out there. Some people might hear the word “juniper” and run away, screaming. What these running, screaming people may not know is that the juniper family is a widely diverse group that includes ground covers, shrubs and trees of all kinds of color, growth habit and landscaping applications. They also might not know that there are some truly beautiful specimens in the juniper family, one of which is ‘Wichita Blue.’ With proper site selection, junipers can reward you with years of care-free beauty. The two most important items for site selection: full sun and well-drained soil. In the Pacific Northwest, this juniper needs full sun to thrive. It will tolerate light shade, and in hotter climates, it appreciates more shade. The other essential, well-drained soil, will ensure success with this juniper.

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 It's snowing here at the nursery! We are happy to see the plants covered in snow, it doesn't happen very often around here.  It's worth noting that the snow will protect the plants when the weather turns very cold tonight- they are predicting about 12 degrees. The snow will insulate them and should protect them from any freeze damage.

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 Our Christmas tree is the traditional shape of this holiday tree; the pyramidal shaped Serbian Spruce. It has a slender trunk and two toned needles, dark green on top with silver-blue undersides. It is pre-adorned with red-violet cones that hang down. This tree eventually grows fifty-five feet tall with a twenty foot spread. Omorika grows in a wide variety of soils, is tolerant of air pollution and is fast growing. It can be planted as a stately single specimen or in multiples as a screen. Serbian spruce had a widespread range millions of years ago and was endemic to the Drina River valley in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia. Now in this region it is being crowded out by other native trees. It grows well here and although a bit rare it is readily available and well worth planting. Omorika is the Balkan work for spruce and is the perfect Christmas tree, just like the pyramid shaped ones children draw.

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The next couple of weeks we are featuring holiday trees. In honor of Hanukkah we have 'Green Mountain' Boxwood. Shaped somewhat like a dreidel it can be covered in a string of small white bulbs to add a festive note to this holiday of lights. 'Green Mountain' boxwood is dense in form and naturally shaped like an elegant pyramid. It has bright green leaves that retain color throughout the winter. For a crisper form shear the plant. 'Green Mountain' will grow well

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