JUMPIN' JUNIPERS!

So now that you've taken the brave step of deciding to wildscape your yard, the next dilemma comes when you ask yourself "what in the heck do I plant?" The answer's not very clear cut, for plant species (unlike human cities) don't have very clear cut boundaries of where they grow and where they don't grow. Some of the wildscaping tips I've seen completely ignore the issue of trying to figure out what's native vegetation to your area and just give you plants that are useful for animal life in general. Is there something generic that's a good recommendation for a beginning wildscaper?

You bet there is! Try juniper!

If ever there ever was an award for "most overused and least respected plant", the poor junipers would be prime candidates to in the tree and shrub divisions. Horticulturlalists say that they're an overused landscaping plant and that there's a a glut of cultivar varieties, but this doesn't seem to deter anyone from using them. Because they come in a wide variety of sizes they're stuffed into planter boxes to provide a shield of green around public buildings, tucked around homes, propped in the middle of rocky gardenscapes, and cramped into bonsai planters. Where there's a will (or a hole in the landscape), there's usually a juniper around to fill it.

This is a good plant for wildscaping, whether you look at it from a cultural heritage standpoint (Native American uses) or from a politically correct standpoint (junipers, are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to Mexico, as well as in the British Isles, North Africa, the West Indies, Azores, Canary Islands, Tibet, China, and Taiwan). They're sturdy, a food source for wildlife, are reasonably low-maintenance, and are fairly pest and disease resistant-- a boon for any harried homeowner or newly initiated gardener.

On the High Plains, where the winds can strip farm topsoil and carry it for hundreds of miles, junipers are used for windbreaks to prevent soil erosion. Birds, lizards, and small mammals find refuge in their densely-packed leaves and a good source of food in their silvery-blue fruits. The berries are edible edible when ripe and are used in many ethnic recipes.

The "Red cedar" is one of the most important varieties. Its fragrant wood is used for furniture and its fragrant oil is used in perfumes and in some medicines. Unfortunatly, it's one of those plants that feature in the weekly pollen counts.

Juniper Jump Links

Nebraska Forest Service If you live in Nebraska, you can get seedling junipers for wildscaping from the Forest Service.

University of Nebraska (NebGuide) This page on backyard habitats includes a list of recommended plants (and plants they don't recommend).