Common Name: Shore Juniper

General Information

Juniperus rigida conferta is a prostrate, evergreen shrub with long, trailing branches that form roots where they touch the soil; it forms dense, spreading mats of shrubby vegetation around 30cm tall[, , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It can be used in soil stabilization projects and is often grown as an ornamental, where it can be used as a ground cover.
This subspecies is widespread and occurs in habitat that can only locally be threatened, e.g. by coastal development, but this is unlikely to have a substantial impact on the total population. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

E. Asia - Russian Far East, Japan

Habitat

Sandy seashores, forming dense, spreading mats of shrubby vegetation covering old beaches and dunes[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.15 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Juniperus rigida conferta is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[].
Requires a sunny position[]. Succeeds in hot, dry sandy soils and in maritime exposure[, , ]. Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil[, ]. Succeeds in poor soils and tolerates light shade[].
Plants are not reliably hardy in the coldest areas of the country[].
Commonly cultivated as an ornamental in Japanese gardens, and also cultivated as bonsai plants, it is much less grown iIn Europe and the U.S.A[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[]. The cones are about 8 - 10mm in diameter[]. The black, globose fruits are 6 - 13mm in diameter, containing three seeds[]. They take 15 months to mature[].

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

When planted on banks and terraces, the dense vegetative mats provide good soil erosion protection[]. The plant has been recommended for the consolidation of dunes near the coast[]. The cultivar 'Emerald Sea' has been specially recommended for this purpose[].
An excellent low ground cover[], though plants take about 2 years to form effective cover[]. Plants should be spaced about 90cm apart each way[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

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[, ]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[]. 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[].
Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/early autumn in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[, ].
Layering in September/early autumn. Takes 12 months[].