Alligator juniper

arcina

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
345
@arcina
How cold a winter do you think J. deppeana would tolerate? I can winter a medium to large juniper in zone 6 with -10 F to -15 F. being typical coldest temp in winter. Usually when the farm gets that cold, snow is quite deep. Usually. This year has been very mild.

I do have a frost free well house, but to access it, I physically have to take the tree down a flight of stairs, and crouch down to get into a low below grade space, meaning shohin size is pretty much all I want to carry down there. Big heavy trees either cope with the cold or die.

So how cold can they go? What sorts of elevation do they occur at, and how cold is winter at that elevation?

Inquiring minds are planning future acquisitions.

They grow in areas where the temps drop to -20 F. They just got dormant. In areas where it gets really cold, they grow facing South or wherever they get more sun. For example, the one @markyscott has was collected at 9000. They grow from low elevations to almost 10000. Normally, you find them between 5000-7000. I think I saw some in the highest area in the Guadalupe Mountains NP. I think it was around 8000 where I saw them.

They are not blue in the wild. The color changes when they get potted.
 

arcina

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
345
@arcina
Thanks Alvaro
Let me know when you collect another batch of alligator juniper, I think I'd like to try one up north here, they sound hardy enough. I'll email you through your website too.


One thing I will say about alligator juniper is that they tend to have a lot of deadwood. At least, the ones at high elevations. I will say 70-90% of the tree is deadwood.

This is a medium size example:

 

Leo in N E Illinois

The Professor
Messages
11,337
Reaction score
23,254
Location
on the IL-WI border, a mile from ''da Lake''
USDA Zone
5b
My niece teaches at Unv. New Mexico in Portales NM. Pretty much 100 miles west of Lubbock, Tx. When I visit her, sometime in the next year or two, I'll have to make a detour to swing through Murphy, TX, as shipping junipers with that much deadwood could be a problem. I'll just have to come and pick one up. The range map for J. deppeana seems to indicate I would have to go west to the mountains from Portales to see them in the wild. I won't have time for collecting permits, so I will just count on you. We will figure something out, when the time comes.
 

W3rk

Chumono
Messages
606
Reaction score
899
Location
MD
USDA Zone
7a
My niece teaches at Unv. New Mexico in Portales NM. Pretty much 100 miles west of Lubbock, Tx. When I visit her, sometime in the next year or two, I'll have to make a detour to swing through Murphy, TX, as shipping junipers with that much deadwood could be a problem. I'll just have to come and pick one up. The range map for J. deppeana seems to indicate I would have to go west to the mountains from Portales to see them in the wild. I won't have time for collecting permits, so I will just count on you. We will figure something out, when the time comes.
I've been to New Mexico and spent time around Silver City, Pinos Altos, and up into the southern side of Gila. Aligator Juniper were definitely all over the place in that area and easily around +/- 8,000 ft. Gorgeous bark on mature trees.
 

markyscott

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,112
Reaction score
21,382
Location
Delaplane VA
USDA Zone
6B
Foliage is interesting. Anyone with experience with these? Looks like it doesn’t produce mature scale foliage. Is that true?
F0CBF7E6-43E7-4329-BCF8-9A8A663F7695.jpeg

Do you treat in more like a needle juniper?

S
 
Last edited:

markyscott

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,112
Reaction score
21,382
Location
Delaplane VA
USDA Zone
6B
I hiked McKittrick Canyon today - loads of Alligator junipers on the trail. I really like these trees and am glad to have one in my collection - I’ll have to add some more one day. We live in a beautiful world - here are a few photographs:
D74F1DBE-0438-45F0-B16F-D594F0E6086E.jpeg540CFDF0-C890-4AA1-AE5D-71D1231611CC.jpeg
 

markyscott

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,112
Reaction score
21,382
Location
Delaplane VA
USDA Zone
6B
The bark gets mature looking at a young age and has a distinctive checkerboard pattern. It produces a gray-green scale foliage. In cultivation, for whatever reason, it turns much bluer. Berries and pollen cones are produced on different trees. Not sure which gender mine is.
CF9D56B4-C2BA-437A-9A15-A814A8485E30.jpeg14DFF726-0F7A-4198-87F2-6583A47F45D3.jpeg4A398876-8FE8-4693-BD9A-B47F935B3949.jpeg
 

markyscott

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,112
Reaction score
21,382
Location
Delaplane VA
USDA Zone
6B
I’ve asked a couple of people about what I could do to promote mature foliage on mine. Both suggested cutting back on the fertilization - I think I’ll give that a try.

- S
 

River's Edge

Masterpiece
Messages
4,708
Reaction score
12,608
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia
USDA Zone
8b
I’ve asked a couple of people about what I could do to promote mature foliage on mine. Both suggested cutting back on the fertilization - I think I’ll give that a try.

- S
That would be in keeping with the reported native soil characteristics. They are described as low fertility, mild to moderate alkalinity. Makes me wonder if modifying the soil mix towards the alkaline range would benefit the foliage. Although it could simply be the norm, Juniper can take several years to adapt from juvenile foliage after stressing. Very interesting characteristics with this species, love the checkerboard bark!
 

AZbonsai

Masterpiece
Messages
2,486
Reaction score
5,329
Location
AZ
USDA Zone
9
1614907806658.png

Yarnell hotshots under a huge alligator juniper. A week later all but one would parish in a fire. This stand of junipers is impressive! Worth the hike if you are in AZ. Some of the oldest in the world.
 

arcina

Mame
Messages
108
Reaction score
345
I hiked McKittrick Canyon today - loads of Alligator junipers on the trail. I really like these trees and am glad to have one in my collection - I’ll have to add some more one day. We live in a beautiful world - here are a few photographs:
View attachment 358329View attachment 358330


This was the place where I learned about Alligator junipers and I started looking for them.

This is a big one:

1614916993995.png


1614917019795.png
 
Top Bottom