The Colorado Multi-Site Trial of Woody Plants evaluates the
suitability of “new” and underused woody plants across the various climates of
the Colorado. For more information about
the trial and test sites see this previous post.
The 2006 planting of the trial contained a number of interesting
plants. Some of which were very successful and some which struggled or failed to survive.
The 2006 planting at Harding's Nursery outside of Colorado Springs |
2006 Planting:
·
Acer
monspessulanum (Montpelier maple)
·
Juniperus
scopulorum ‘Woodward’ (Woodward columnar juniper)
·
Larix
decidua (European larch)
·
Prunus
serrotina (Black cherry)
·
Pyrus
ussuriensis ‘Burgundy’ (‘Burgundy’ ussurian pear)
·
Quercus
polymorpha (Monterey oak, Netleaf white oak)
·
Quercus
undulate (Wavy leaf oak)
One of the plants which is particularly promising based on
its performance during the five year trial period is the Woodward columnar juniper. I know using the word “promising” in the
same sentence as “juniper” has caused me to lose credibility with a significant
portion of those reading this but hear me out; this is a really worthy plant. Woodward performed well in the trial and consistently demonstrated both adaptability to our climate and ornamental features which would make it an asset in a variety of landscapes.
Woodward was
“rediscovered” by Front Range horticulturalists growing at the then defunct Cheyenne
Horticultural Field Station. It is a cultivar
of Rocky Mountain juniper selected for its upright habit and strong apical
dominance. As a species, Rocky Mountain
juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) is valued as a reliably cold hardy (Zone
3) and drought tolerant conifer. This
bore out with Woodward in the trial. Across all the sites only a handful of plants did
not survive the five year trial. We
observed little winter desiccation, wind burn or pest issues on any of the
trial plants. It is even more notable that we did not observe any damage from
snow loading as such damage often plagues woody plants with upright habits. This may be due to Woodward’s relatively
small and shorter lateral branches and strong apical dominance. The trial plants retained their narrow form and
were remarkably consistent in their width across all five planting sites. More
than all this, they were attractive. They had a soft blueish green needle color and a
“stately” form.
Mean width data for Juniperus scopulorum 'Woodward' the trial five sites. |
Based on the data from the trial it appears Woodward columnar
juniper is a tough plant which can be grow successful throughout the state. Its well suited for small landscapes or tight spaces and could be used as a screen or even as an interesting specimen. It was promoted by Plant Select
in 2015 and was in high demand. So, if
you are interested in planting one get to the nursery early next year!
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