What is a Alligator Juniper 'McFetters'? Complete Guide 🐊
How to Grow
Choosing a Location 🌞
Alligator Juniper 'McFetters' thrives in full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. When deciding between outdoor planting or container growth, consider the plant's need for good drainage and air circulation to promote healthy growth.
Soil Preparation 🏜️
For optimal growth, use well-draining sandy or loamy soil. Aim for a pH level between and , and enrich the soil with organic matter to enhance drainage.
Planting Techniques 🌱
The best times to plant are early spring or fall, ensuring the roots establish before extreme temperatures. Plant at the same depth as the nursery container and space them feet apart for outdoor settings to allow for their mature size.
Watering Requirements 🚰
After planting, give your Alligator Juniper a deep watering to help it settle in. Moving forward, adjust your watering schedule based on soil moisture, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings to prevent root issues.
Fertilizing Tips 🍽️
Lightly fertilize in early spring with a slow-release, balanced NPK fertilizer. Be cautious not to over-fertilize, as this can harm
Recent Posts
The alligator juniper is one of my favorite trees. I first encountered this member of the juniper family while hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains. It’s one of those trees that is hard to miss once you identify and get to know its distinctive characteristics. Here are five facts about the alligator juniper tree.
1. The alligator juniper is named for its most distinctive characteristic — its bark.
The easiest way to identify the alligator juniper is by its distinctive bark. Look for rough square-plated bark that resembles the skin of an alligator. The thick bark grows in a cracked or checkered and furrowed pattern that sets it apart from other trees. The leaves of the alligator juniper are a deep green to blue-green in appearance.
2. The alligator juniper is a tree as tough as its name.
The Guadalupe Mountains is a perfect place for alligator juniper. The tree prefers dry hillsides at moderate elevations like those found in the Trans-Pecos region of the state. The tree grows in the company of piñons, ponderosas, oaks, and other junipers. Alligator juniper has a high tolerance for heat and a low requirement for water. This evergreen tree thrives in either alkal
Juniperus deppeana
Species of conifer
Juniperus deppeana (alligator juniper or checkerbark juniper) is a small to medium-sized tree reaching 10–15 metres (33–49 feet) in height. It is native to central and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.
Description
[edit]The tree reaches 10–15 metres (33–49 feet), rarely 25&#;m (82&#;ft), in height. The bark is usually very distinctive, unlike other junipers, hard, dark gray-brown, cracked into small square plates superficially resembling alligator skin; it is however sometimes like other junipers, with stringy vertical fissuring. The shoots are 1– millimetres (1&#;32–1&#;16 inch) in diameter. On juvenile specimens, the leaves are needle-like and 5–10&#;mm (3&#;16–3&#;8&#;in) long. The leaves are arranged in opposite decussate pairs or whorls of three; in adulthood they are scale-like, 1–&#;mm (1&#;16–1&#;8&#;in) long (up to 5&#;mm) and 1–&#;mm broad. The cones are berrylike, 7–15&#;mm (1&#;4–9&#;16&#;in) wide, green when young and maturing to orange-brown with a whitish waxy bloom,. These contain 2–6 seeds, which mature in about 18 months. The male cones are 4–6&#;mm (3&#;16–1&#;4&#;in) long, and shed their
Alligator Juniper
Size: ft ( m) of height sometimes 65 ft (20m)
Bark: Dark grayish brown
Needles: (leaves): Scale-like leaves, mm in width and mm in length
Cones: Orange-brown berry-like cones with a whitish waxy coating, mm in diameter, having seeds
Summer: Young trees require twice watering every week; dry and hot areas are conducive to the fastest growth
Light: Sun
Soil: Dry and well-drained, sandy loam, clay, rocky
Water: Low requirement
.