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Originally Posted by bonsaial1
When you say needle juniper do you actually mean Juniperus Chinenses "Rigida" or do you mean a needle type foliage rather than scale foliage? Foemina is concidered a true needle juniper. It has the twin white stripe underneath the needle just as Rigida does. The needles on a rigida are about 1/8 longer than foemina. The needles are as sharp and stiff though.
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I'm not sure what it was. I just meant needle-type foliage. Given your description I'm guessing it was a Rigida, but as it's now dead and a pretty uniform brown I'm not sure.
I have another tree that I was told was a Foemina when I acquired it. The dead tree was clearly not the same species as that. (But see below for a major "
Huh??" )
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Originally Posted by bonsaial1
Foemina is considered a weed type juniper. It responds well to very hard pruning. I have shown a small branch from a foemina juniper as is before pruning. It should be taken back as in the second picture, about 1/3 inch from the lignified part of the stem. All brown needles must be removed for back budding. It will bud profusely in about 4 weeks. Year round here in Fresno.
Other junipers the will respond to this type of pruning are procumbens. They will do quite well taking them down hard. If you wish to see mature foliage on a procumbens than this type of pruning will assure you won't. It needs to be pinched very lightly more often and not abused to much and then you wll get the mature scale foliage like Thomas J. gets on his older procumbens. This is something to shoot for once the style is established.
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Okay, thanks. Should I assume, then, that aside from Foemina and procumbens, most junipers would
not respond well to hard pruning? (I know, I know, never assume...)
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Originally Posted by bonsaial1
The foeminas will never go to scale like foliage. It remains needle like its entire life.
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Now for the "
Huh??" Oddly enough, sometime in the past few months the "Foemina" I have grew scale-like foliage at the ends of two branchlets. I was rather surprised to see it. So do I have to get it reclassified now, or when you say "never" do you mean "hardly ever"?
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Originally Posted by bonsaial1
I have included a close up of the twin stripe on the back of the needle indicateing it is a true needle juniper.
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Thanks! I greatly appreciate the help.