Practical
Plants

Juniperus recurva

Himalayan Juniper

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Juniperus genus in the family Cupressaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
12 m
Spread
6 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The cones are up to 11mm long and 8mm wide[6].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Smoke from the green wood is emetic and produces long-continued vomiting[7].

Product or use
Emetic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The wood and leaves are used as an incense[9]. The resinous twigs are burnt as an incense[5][3]. The leaves contain about 1.7% essential oil[9].

Product or use
Incense
Product or use
Essential

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - Himalayas to N. Burma.
Habitat
Wetter areas of the Himalayas, to 4600 metres[10]. Forests and thickets at elevations from 1800 - 3900 metres in SE Xizang and NW Yunnan[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[11][12]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[2]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[1]. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[1][11]. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months[11].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil[1][2] and succeeding on chalk[6]. Prefers a humid sheltered site, doing well in areas with high rainfall[6]. Does not succeed in dry areas[6]. Unlike most members of the genus, this species grows better in the wetter western part of Britain[2]. A very ornamental plant[1] but slow growing in Britain, even young trees fail to average 25cm a year[4]. Plants are resistant to honey fungus[13]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh 1972-00-00

    ↩

  4. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩

  5. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  8. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩

  9. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2

  10. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩

  11. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩

  13. RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987-00-00

    ↩

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