Winter color of junipers

[M. Frary]

Every now and then I see people asking if their juniper made it through the winter. They changed color. Will it be ok?
This weird color is a natural thing these shrubs do. Some stay greener than others but they all get a weird hue to the foliage. Mine got covered with snow before it got super cold. Here anything below minus 20 is super cold. We came close to 40 below here a couple times this winter. Super cold!
Here's what some of mine look like at the moment.
Shimpaku,Parsons and procumbens nana. Once they all get going good they green right up. Or blue up in the case of the parsons. That's how to tell if the parsons is kicking good. They turn a blue. Even the procumbens get a little blue going.

 

[Cypress187]

Maybe they are blue because they got too much Tractor Hydrolic and Transmission Oil?

 

[M. Frary]

Maybe they are blue because they got too much Tractor Hydrolic and Transmission Oil?

Believe it or not but those hydraulic buckets will be holding trees this year. I cut them down bore a bunch of holes all over and use them as large collanders. That is after I clean them well with Dawn dishsoap.. And no the oil won't turn them blue it turns them a brownish dead color!

 

[Cypress187]

 

[herzausstahl]

I like your chicken wire! A must! Although I've found rabbits love dawn redwoods even more.

 

[sorce]

My j.virginia looks like a porcupine!

Awesome look!


Gettin green at the bottom!


I like to see some others!

Sorce

 

[drew33998]

So that's what cold is.

 

[wireme]

Here's a couple, summer and winter colours, winter pics from last Oct before packing away.

 

[ardiel]

Hah, I'd be one of those people who asked about this recently.

Thank you for the info and patience. I was so worried about mine this winter. (Heck I was worried last summer and asked if it was ok then too.)

This is how mine looked when I put it on the table just after the cold broke. I won't repost the whole array of pics I posted before, these should be enough for reference.

28aoxaa

• ardiel
• Mar 13, 2015

Aavsl1

• ardiel
• Mar 13, 2015

 

[mj_barb]

Thanks for posting this, I could definitely see myself trashing some trees that turned a brown color. I see many posts about people that were caring for dead junipers for months before they realized their demise. Any tips on how to tell if their heart is still beating in the Winter? or do you have to wait for warmer weather to tell?

 

[wireme]

Might as well wait it out to be sure. I find they green up fast once the roots thaw.
It can be hard not to worry even knowing that's what they do.
Generally I find winter colours can make a person suspicious but if its really dead you can tell.
Purple is good, even very brown often, like this pic of a wild tree.
A pale grey colour, that's probably just dead.

 

[timeleft]

Good timing. Some of my junipers really changed color this year. However one of them seem to have unusually brittle needles and they almost fall off when touched. We will see though- still early.