Juniper plants are largely known for their massive root system. In this article, we will discuss whether juniper plants have an invasive root system. We will further discuss the type and conditions of their roots.
You will also get to know how far their roots may spread and how much root space you will need to keep while planting these trees. So without further ado, read ahead to learn more about it.
Juniper Root System Explained
Junipers have a shallow root system that goes deep and far into the grounds. The roots of these plants are known to account for almost two-thirds of their total mass. Needless to say, the roots go very deep into the grounds in search of water. The roots of the juniper can go as deep as 25 feet.
Let’s take a look at the root system of different types of juniper plants. Read ahead to find out more:
Blue point juniper:
The blue point juniper plants have a deep and extensive root system. Their roots can go deep into the grounds within just a couple of seasons after planting them.
These plants need to be watered regularly during their first growing season. But after that, they will be able to find water deep underground using their roots.
Skyrocket juniper:
Skyrocket junipers take about 20 to 50 years to achieve their fully grown stage. At that stage, their roots will have been spread about 100 feet around the base and about 25 feet deep in the grounds.
Spartan juniper:
Spartan juniper plants also have a shallow root system. Their roots grow rather deep and spread out across a large area around the base of the plant.
So these plants are ideal for growing in an inhospitable environment for trees. The spartan juniper plants can grow in full sun or partial shade without any trouble.
Taylor juniper:
The Taylor juniper plants have a shallow and deep root system. You will need to water them slowly through their first season. After that, these plants will be able to draw water from underground, no matter how deep the water is.
Blue arrow juniper:
Blue arrow juniper plants have a shallow and deep root system. Their roots can go as deep as 25 feet into the grounds.
Wichita blue juniper:
The Wichita blue juniper plants have a deep root system. Their roots are also shallow. So they can draw water from underground. These plants can withstand drought as well.
Hollywood juniper:
The Hollywood juniper plants have a shallow, deep, and extensive root system. Their roots can go as deep as 25 feet and can spread out across a radius of 100 feet.
Moonglow juniper:
Moonglow juniper plants also have an extensive and deep root system. Their roots can go way too deep into the grounds, so they do not have any issue drawing water from underground.
Creeping juniper:
Creeping juniper has a deep and extensive root system as well. These roots can be quite invasive as well. The roots of these plants spread around the base of the plant, and they have the strength to harm the roots of other plants as well.
Sea green juniper:
Sea green juniper has an extensive root system. Their roots can spread both vertically and laterally upto a great length, often in search of water.
Does Juniper have deep roots?
Yes, junipers have deep roots. Juniper trees are truly majestic and are known to grow very tall. You will find these trees growing unapologetically in some of the roughest terrains and inhospitable environments. You may even find them growing right out of a rock. They do not have much of a hard time growing in those places because of the root system that they have.
So needless to say, these plants are great for combating drought conditions. They can find water from deep underground, which does not make it very unnatural for them to grow in drought-prone regions.
How Deep Are Juniper Roots?
The juniper plants have a shallow root system that will go far too deep into the soil. The roots go deeper and deeper into the soil in search of water. They do not have much of a hard time searching for water as the roots can go as deep as 25 feet into the soil. And the lateral roots can spread out more than 100 feet.
How big are Juniper roots?
The root system of juniper plants is extensive and deep. They have a shallow root system that can go as deep as 25 feet while searching for water. So these plants are great for planting in drought-prone regions.
In addition, the roots of these plants can spread laterally as well. The roots of junipers can be invasive. Their roots can spread more than 100 feet of radius around the base of the plant.
What type of root system does juniper have?
Junipers have a deep, extensive, and shallow root system. Let’s read ahead to learn more about it:
Deep:
The juniper plants have a deep root system. Their roots can go way too deep into the grounds in search of water. So these plants can grow even in some of the most inhospitable regions for trees. You will notice that these plants can easily withstand drought as well.
The roots of juniper can go as deep as 25 feet, sometimes even more. They will go that deep into the grounds in their quest for water. So these plants are quite resilient and can fight against drought and other harsh weather conditions rather easily.
Extensive:
Not only vertically, but the roots of these plants can spread laterally as well. The roots of juniper plants can spread more than 100 feet around their base.
Needless to say, these plants are quite invasive and will hurt other plants that come in their way. They have strong roots, which makes it very easy for these plants to invade plants that have brittle and thin roots.
Shallow roots:
The root system of these plants is shallow. So they can draw moisture and water from the environment rather quickly. You will not need to water these plants frequently after the first season.
Are Juniper Roots Invasive?
Yes, juniper roots are quite invasive. The juniper roots are strong and they can mess with other plants, especially the ones that have brittle roots. So you will need to be careful while planting other plants near a juniper tree.
In addition, you should not plant these trees near a house. This is because the roots of juniper trees are known to be rather flammable. This puts them in a highly risky position. So you should be careful while dealing with juniper. Choose a location for them wisely.
How far do juniper roots spread?
The juniper plants can spread aggressively both in the vertical direction as well as the lateral direction. So you will need to be careful while choosing a location for planting a juniper plant. Wondering how far juniper roots spread?
The roots of juniper are known to spread across a large area around them. The roots can spread both vertically and laterally. The roots of these plants can go as deep as 25 feet and as far as 100 feet. Sometimes the roots can spread even farther if they cannot find any water within the said area.
Can Juniper roots damage foundation or pipes?
Juniper roots are quite invasive. So there’s a possibility that these roots can damage the foundation or pipes. So you should not plant juniper trees near a house or other establishments that may be damaged by a juniper.
There are some other valid reasons why you should not plant juniper trees near a house. The roots of these plants are quite flammable. So you should not plant these trees near a house, because they may pose a threat to your house’s wellbeing.
Do Juniper spread or multiply?
Junipers can multiply through propagation. You may use a semi-hardwood cutting from a juniper plant to propagate the plant.
They may also reproduce using pollens. The pollens may transfer, through air, birds, or insects, from the male part of the tree to the female part. This will make them reproduce smoothly.
Final Thoughts
Juniper roots are deep, shallow, and extensive. These roots can go quite deep into the grounds in search of water. So junipers can withstand drought and other weather conditions. Juniper roots are also quite invasive. They are also highly flammable, so do not plant them near a house or garden.