A variety of evergreen shrubs/ junipers? - Ask Extension
We are 3 culdesacs in our HOA that have 6-8 everygreen bushes growing together. We are concerned about safety of people as these bushes are 5-6 feet h...
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A variety of evergreen shrubs/ junipers? #873810
Asked June 19, 2024, 3:50 PM EDT
We are 3 culdesacs in our HOA that have 6-8 everygreen bushes growing together. We are concerned about safety of people as these bushes are 5-6 feet high. If these shrubs are cut a feet or two ,it will show a brown or scored look. Removing all the shrubs would be too costly and won’t look right. Any thoughts?
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
These do appear to be Junipers, though there are so many types on the market, it's hard to tell which they are, especially since their shape has been altered by pruning. (Not that it would matter very much in this case.) The scattered foliage browning currently visible might have been caused by drought stress, infection (like the fungal twig blights these plants are vulnerable to), or spider mite outbreaks; all can be fairly common. Heavy and regular pruning, which has been happening with these shrubs given their current appearance, can increase the susceptibility of evergreens to pest and disease problems, plus cause a moderate amount of browning by itself.
The greater risk of problems is due to the dense growth that pruning stimulates. While it helps to give the plant a full, manicured look (at least at first), that denser foliage reduces air circulation through the branches, crowds foliage too much, and promotes the faster shedding of inner foliage since it's in more shade from those dense branch tips. By itself, inner leaf loss as conifers (needled evergreens) age is a normal trait, but it can be worsened by too much pruning.
Like most conifers, Junipers are not capable of regrowing new foliage after heavy pruning (or leaf loss to deer browsing or pests/diseases). They simply don't have the dormant leaf buds along the older branch wood that broadleaf evergreens (boxwood, holly, etc.) do, which become activated into growth once the original branch tips are removed. Therefore, once the outer layers of foliage are gone for whatever reason, they will not regrow, and that branch will remain bare. If these shrubs are pruned low enough such that the cut branches no longer have foliage at their tips, that will create permanent bare areas.
We realize you said that full removal is probably not an option, but unfortunately there is no other way to remedy the situation if the current height of the plants blocks too much of a view for car and pedestrian visibility. A compromise might be to cut the Junipers down anyway as a way of removing the top growth, and then digging out the root balls as budget and time allows. Lower-growing evergreens and/or deciduous plants (shrubs or perennials) could then be planted in their place.
Miri
The greater risk of problems is due to the dense growth that pruning stimulates. While it helps to give the plant a full, manicured look (at least at first), that denser foliage reduces air circulation through the branches, crowds foliage too much, and promotes the faster shedding of inner foliage since it's in more shade from those dense branch tips. By itself, inner leaf loss as conifers (needled evergreens) age is a normal trait, but it can be worsened by too much pruning.
Like most conifers, Junipers are not capable of regrowing new foliage after heavy pruning (or leaf loss to deer browsing or pests/diseases). They simply don't have the dormant leaf buds along the older branch wood that broadleaf evergreens (boxwood, holly, etc.) do, which become activated into growth once the original branch tips are removed. Therefore, once the outer layers of foliage are gone for whatever reason, they will not regrow, and that branch will remain bare. If these shrubs are pruned low enough such that the cut branches no longer have foliage at their tips, that will create permanent bare areas.
We realize you said that full removal is probably not an option, but unfortunately there is no other way to remedy the situation if the current height of the plants blocks too much of a view for car and pedestrian visibility. A compromise might be to cut the Junipers down anyway as a way of removing the top growth, and then digging out the root balls as budget and time allows. Lower-growing evergreens and/or deciduous plants (shrubs or perennials) could then be planted in their place.
Miri
