Big brother to the procumbens nana

[Joe Dupre']

Is there any variety of juniper that's very similar to procumbens nana, but tends to grow bigger and faster? I do like the nana's foliage, but would like something that I could put in the ground for a few years and get a bigger trunk.

 

[ZombieNick]

Prostrata or San Jose grows the fastest I believe, but their foliage is not like Procumbens. You could always graft.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Prostrata or San Jose grows the fastest I believe, but their foliage is not like Procumbens. You could always graft.

Well, I really don't want to graft. I'd like a tree with a darker green foliage than the Parson's junipers I have.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Nana is a dwarf variety of procumbens, so there's that.
Squamata is also a tad bit larger when it comes to needles, and a bit more sparse though.

Procumbens in the right conditions seems to outgrow any other juniper I have. Maybe squamata is a tiny bit faster. The stricta variety of chinensis is also a needle type and seems to be a rapid grower, but they hardly thicken.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Is there a standard size of procumbens? I've only ever seen the nana.

 

[BrightsideB]

@Joe Dupre' check commercial landscape nurseries. I see them at most. The one near me allows the general public during certain hours and days. Call around as well. I’m sure you’ll find regular procumbens.

 

[Ruddigger]

San Jose is probably the closest.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Anyone have or have seen a procumbens nana in the ground for a few years? Wondering how big the trunk can grow realistically.

 

[Eckhoffw]

This spring I put a nana in the ground. A first for me, because prior, I didn’t know they could survive Minnesota winters.

I am flabbergasted by the amount of growth it put on this season. Did you say you tried ground growing P. Nana?

 

[Joe Dupre']

This spring I put a nana in the ground. A first for me, because prior, I didn’t know they could survive Minnesota winters.

I am flabbergasted by the amount of growth it put on this season. Did you say you tried ground growing P. Nana?

I never did, but I'll sure try after hearing that. We have a LONG growing season here. Most of my trees still have most of their leaves. We have only about 10 days below freezing in an average year. I would imagine conifers would grow for 10 months or more.

 

[HENDO]

Hey Joe,

Here's two whips that were in the ground in Houston for 2 growing seasons. Southern exposure with partial shade midday, irrigation but otherwise ignored. Pictures after pulling and initial styling:




I wasn't blown away by the growth, but it was only 2 seasons - they perhaps doubled in thickness.

I had a lot of fun with a 45" tall prostrata. Something like that may be a good candidate if you can tolerate the foliage and it's not too humid where you are.

Hope this helps.

 

[Joe Dupre']

Hey Joe,

Here's two whips that were in the ground in Houston for 2 growing seasons. Southern exposure with partial shade midday, irrigation but otherwise ignored. Pictures after pulling and initial styling:
View attachment 517419

View attachment 517420

I wasn't blown away by the growth, but it was only 2 seasons - they perhaps doubled in thickness.

I had a lot of fun with a 45" tall prostrata. Something like that may be a good candidate if you can tolerate the foliage and it's not too humid where you are.

Hope this helps.

You can't argue with doubling the thickness. I'll put a couple in the ground and treat them like my bonsai............ water and fertilize regularly. They'll get sun almost all day.