Prickly juniper
3
3Will it grow where I live?
Prickly juniper is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify.
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Profile
- Family
- Cupressaceae
- Habit
- Shrub
- Height
- 11 m
- Spread
- 3 m
- Growth
- medium
- Lifespan
- 100 years
- First yield
- after 13 years
- Hardiness
- zone 8–10
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Soil
- Sand, Silt, Loam
- Soil moisture
- very dry – moist
- pH
- 6 – 8
Uses
Medicinal: An infusion or decoction of the plant was consumed and used as a lotion to treat coughs and influenza. Additionally, a poultice of the plant was used to treat boils.
Origin & habitat
Dry hills, sandy and rocky places.
Trockene Hügel, sandige und felsige Orte.
⚠️ Hazards
Probably toxic due to its essential oils, as with all cypresses.
Frequently asked questions
Prickly juniper: how big does it get?
Prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) grows as a Shrub and reaches roughly 11 m in height when mature, with a spread of about 3 m. Growth is medium.
Prickly juniper: what site does it need?
Prickly juniper tolerates light shade. Suitable soils are Sand, Silt, Loam. Soil moisture should be in the range very dry – moist. The pH may lie between 6 and 8.
Prickly juniper: is it hardy?
Prickly juniper is listed as hardy in zone 8–10 and survives normal winters outdoors there.
Prickly juniper: will it grow in Central Europe?
Prickly juniper is only hardy to zone 8, so outdoors year-round it needs the mildest spots in Central Europe – wine-growing regions, the Rhine valley, coasts, Lake Constance, Ticino – or a container overwintered under cover. Most of the British Isles and the Pacific coast of North America qualify.
Prickly juniper: is it poisonous?
Individual parts of Prickly juniper are noted as mildly problematic — the plant does not count as poisonous. With wild plants, never rely on a database alone, only on a confident identification.
Prickly juniper: what is it used for?
Rated on a scale up to 10: Medicinal 3/10, Other uses 3/10.
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