Tropicals, Woody > Juniper > Juniper flaccida > Juniper flaccida
Juniper flaccida
Drooping Weeping Juniper, Mexican Juniper
Origin: Native to Central America (Mexico) and Texas.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A unique pendulous Juniper with awl-like foliage and vibrant multi coloured exfoliating bark. This plant would make a beautiful specimen if grown under the right conditions. It is an excellent plant to use in a xeriscaping project due to its drought tolerance.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Cupressaceae |
| Genus |
| Juniper |
| Species |
| flaccida |
| Category |
| Tropicals, Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 8 - 11 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 8 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -10 - 5 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -15 - 40 |
| Height |
| 5 - 12 m |
| Spread |
| 5 - 12 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
click to expand
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A low spreading weeping habit; can be single or multi stemmed. Exfoliating coloured bark makes it stand out from other junipers. |
| Landscape |
| Not a common plant used in the landscape because it unfortunately cannot withstand cold temperatures and only reaches as far north as Texas. If grown under the correct conditions this plant would make a perfect specimen in a xeriscape landscape due to its high drought tolerance and heat resistance. |
| Cultivation |
| Prefers dry well drained sandy, loam, rock, clay and igneous soils. Extremely drought tolerant grows best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. |
| Shape |
| A wide spreading tree or shrub commonly oval shaped with long sweeping branches and pendulous foliage. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Unique low sweeping branches with drooping awl-like foliage that hangs down like green icicles. There is a distinct vibrant auburn colour that shows when the aged bark exfoliates creating a multi-coloured stringy texture. |
| Pests |
| Juniper scale, bag worm, spruce spider mite, twig and tip blight and Phytophthora root rot. |
| Habitat |
| Adapted to high altitudes of 900 – 2900 m. It is an endemic plant species usually found on dry hillsides and slopes from Texas to Southern Mexico. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Bark colour will vary between auburn, brown and grey. The bark exfoliates in large vertical strips, giving it an attractive stringy texture. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Buds are light green, superimposed and overlapped. |
| Leaf Description |
| Foliage is awl-like arranged in an opposite and overlapped fashion. Foliage curves downwards in a sweeping motion, making the branches look somewhat like a dog’s tail. |
| Flower Description |
| A dioecious plant bearing strictly berry-like male or female cones. Female cones are bright green turning a light brown with maturity and approximately 8-20 mm in length. The female cones will produce 6 -12 seeds per cone which is the most seeds out of all the junipers. Male cones are typically 3 -5 mm in length and produce their pollen in the spring. |
| Fruit Description |
| Small light green, yellow or white berries form along the drooping foliage, approximately 1 cm in diameter. |
| Colour Description |
| Foliage is a bright green all year round with no colour change throughout the growing season. Bark turns light grey with age and a vibrant auburn when exfoliated. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Big Bend National Park, Chisos Mountains, Texas, United States of America. |
| Propagation |
| The preferred method of propagation is either a soft wood or hard wood cuttings; they should be kept in a warm moist environment while the root system is being developed. Once a stable root system has been established cuttings should be placed outside in the spring. Seeds should be sown in autumn, however the chance of germination is low. |
References
Everitt, James H., and D. Lynn Drawe. Trees, Shrubs, & Cacti of South Texas. Texas Tech University Press, 1993. Call no.: XVIII EVER 16 Mar. 2013
top