Juniperus chinensis var. chinensis (Chinese juniper, "Ibuki")

Japanese name: イブキ （伊吹）
Scientific name: Juniperus chinensis var. chinensis

[Overview]
An evergreen coniferous large shrub or tree growing mainly on rocky ground in coastal areas on the Pacific side.
Some reach 20 m in height and 50 cm in trunk diameter.
The main trunk is often twisted, and the bark is reddish brown, split lengthwise, and peels off in thin strips.
The leaves are in decussate pairs, scale-like, about 0.2 cm long, and lie flat against the branch.
Young trees and vigorous shoots bear needle-like leaves 0.5–1 cm long in whorls of three.
It is usually dioecious.
The fruit is a fleshy, berry-like cone that ripens in autumn of the following year; it is spherical, 0.6–0.8 cm across, and purplish black with a white bloom.

[Uses]
The wood is heavy and hard, tough, glossy and aromatic, and is used for carving, utensils and tokobashira (alcove posts).

[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, fertile soil on the dry side.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply organic fertilizer in winter, and also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil in spring and autumn.
Pests and diseases include pear rust and scale insects.

[Notes]
Pear rust is a serious disease of pears, and because Chinese junipers and their relatives are an intermediate host of pear rust, some local governments restrict the planting of these trees near pear orchards.

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