By Taurman
Cork,
Ireland 
Greetings and a very happy healthy and fun filled rewarding New Year to one and all,
I have come accross an article on the 'pillar juniper' and love its appearance. Wondered if anybody has experience of it? I would be planting it to supplement the shelter I am so desperately trying to establish at my 1,000 foot altitude so it would need to be able to tolerate strong winds, cope with acid soil, more water than is usual(rainfall is high and drainage as good as I can get it but soggy for five months of the year)?
Thank you in advance for your thoughts.
31 Dec, 2015
Answers
Hi Taurman - just wondered if you'd seen this book - might come in useful?
https://books.google.co.uk/books?isbn=0444600868
J.R. Brandle, D.L. Hintz, J.W. Sturrock - 2012 - Science
The most commonly-used species for single-row field windbreaks, particularly in ... because of its growth characteristics, wild olive or oleaster (Elaeagnus sp.) ...
31 Dec, 2015
Thank you Bamboo and Steragram, helpful thoughts. 'pillar juniper' is a term I got off one of the gardening sites I subscribe to 'gardening.ie’ so yes I discover it is somewhat of a misnomer when I do my research. I think the soil and drainage is an issue and also many are so thin as not to afford a lot of shelter or perhaps they would add aesthetically to the wind break. I will access your book recommendation, Stearagram. BW.
1 Jan, 2016
Season's felicitations to you too.
Hmm, tough one - Junipers are pretty tolerant, but they do prefer shaley, dryish ground. They're also slow growing, which might not be great if you want to create a protection belt, though I'm not sure which exact variety of Juniper you actually mean. Pillar juniper seems to be a term primarily used in the States, and I don't know the Latin or botanical name of it, since they're not big on proper names there, so if you know its proper name, that might be useful. Otherwise, Pinus and Picea prefer acid soil, Picea does better in damp soils but can be damaged by late frosts, and neither plant is as slow growing as Junipers (with the exception of Juniperus media).
31 Dec, 2015