Bernd, I'll keep this real short (and ugly) - this just happens. Likely, the cause is winter injury taking effect.

I'm sorrry that happened.

Dax

Suspect it froze last winter also.

Thanks, Dax and bboy!

It is a riddle for me. But your diagnosis at least does not point at a dog or herbicide attack which worried me most.

My house sits on a 1/2 acre suburban lot with good neighbors. Nearly all my (50+) dwarf conifers are in front of the house in the sun. But there are indications that some people let their dogs run free while they walk by. Some kids also roam around at night.
At least I do not have to worry about the new plants I am getting the next 6 weeks. Though I will do the usual individual small fences (1 ft dia) around the young ones. Dogs might want to mark standards, i.e..

The upside is that I now have an opportunity to buy a replacement or a different one. And I need to help along the others, there is a forecast of 85 F for Wednesday.

Thanks!
Bernd

I have encountered the same issues over the years. I have noticed some of mine suffered damage this winter. All doing fine going into winter with no issues at all. With the demise of winter going into early spring I had one brown out and die within a short time. That was last winter. All seemed to survive this winter but like I said several incurred damage.

With no disease or insects prevalent and no dogs to contend with I surmise winter issues are the culprit even though it is zone compatible.

The 'Compressa' is less winterhard then all the other Juniperus communis cultivars.
My exprience is that it can stand temperatures till minus 18 degrees Celcius.

Juniperus communis 'Suecica Nana' is a good replacement for the 'Compressa'.

B.t.w Pinus mugo 'Carsten's Wintergld' is wrong written and must be written as Pinus mugo 'Carstens'.

Dave, thanks for your comment, I will write off this loss. Interestingly the past winter were much harder than this last one in my area, though it did not make this easy winter.

Coniferjoy, thanks for your comments. -18C = 0F ? I am in zone 5 in the US, that goes down to -20F = -30C. My two 'Compressa's experienced -15F in the last 6-10 years without problems, meaning that last winter something else must have gone wrong. The American Conifer Society shows that they are good for -30F, some catalog shows down to -40F.
Thank you for the suggestion of J.c.'Suecica Nana', need to find a supplier, no picture and growth data in ACS.

In respect to naming of Pinus mugo 'Carsten's Wintergold', I bought it from Coenosium last spring, and it still lists as such in their catalog. The ACS data base only lists Pinus mugo 'Winter Gold', but that seems to be a much larger plant. They have no 'Carstens' in ACS. Hopefully 'Carstens' is a dwarf of 'Winter Gold'.

Thanks again!
Bernd

Coniferjoy-

I find that hard to believe on the 'Compressa'. Juniperus seems to be one of the hardest varieties to kill, even when you want to! I have had mine survive -27 F here in west central Ohio. That is the coldest that I am aware of since I started my gardens at my new house four years ago.

I just purchased one as 'Carsten's Wintergold' from Singing Tree Nursery and was under the impression that 'Wintergold' was a seperate Cv. even though it violates naming rules...

Which reminds me, what is the proper name for Pinus strobus 'Wintergold'? This would also violate the naming rules since it is in the same specie by my understanding, am I correct?

The proper name for the P.strobus was discussed last fall, but I can't find my notes and should make the change.

Eliot

looks like mine might be doing the same.... time will tell

ken

The true''Compressa' is less winterhardy then all the other Juniperus communis cultivars.
It can't stand the cold wind in very cold winters and then -18 degrees Celcius is the maximum it can stand.
If it grows on a sheltered place, then there's a differend situation and the chance is bigger that it will survive.
Even Krüssmann mentioned only with the 'Compressa'that it can grow in Zone 7 which is -18 till -12 degrees Celcius, which is 0 till 10 degrees Fahrenh.
I have the Dutch conifer collection of Juniperus communis and collected over 50 cultivars of this species and find out that the 'Compressa' is the most soft one.
Also as a nurseryman I came to the same conclusion.

I mentioned the true 'Compressa' because there are several simular faster growing types that are more winterhardy.
The true one grows about 2 till 3 cm/year and will grow seldom higher then 80cm.

Pinus mugo 'Carstens':
We discussed this before...

Here is a link that might be useful: Pinus mugo 'Carstens'

Joy-

Interesting. Thanks for the info...Wonder which one I have then. Mine is on the west side...so def. not sheltered to good. It is in a shadier spot though and there are quite a few trees to the west of it...maybe that was enough.

Ken-

That's a shame as you have a very beautiful specimen.

Your's is pretty old isn't it? So it has been surviving your wicked winters for quite a few years though somewhat protected if I remember correctly.

Eliot

Thanks for all the comments also for the reference to the Pines thread by Dave dcsteg!

I have the dried/dead J.c.'Compressa' for about 6 years, was then a foot tall, is now 43 in tall, is very exposed. The other J c 'Compressa' is doing great, have it propably for 10 years, is 72 in tall, is sheltered in between large junipers (now removed, need new protection) and other larger conifers. Both are from different sources. Since mine get that tall it must be a more hardy strain.

I will use the name P.m.'Carstens'.
Please note that per the Wikipedia about German names with apostrophs there was a change in the German language in 1996. Apostrophs were incorrect before that year, such as Carsten's, correct only afterwards. OK, I understand that the name of the nursery and owners is Carstens.

Thanks!
Bernd

hey eliot.. sounds like mine was about the same size and age as his ....

ken

I just took the following pictures of the 'Compressa'. Temperature outside was 83 F.
Here is the "dead" juniperus communis 'Compressa':

{{gwi:691365}}

The following is a picture of the healthy 6 ft J.c.'Compressa', 10 yrs old. To the lower left is Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Verdoni', 10 yrs old, looks different to what the ACS data base shows. The pole in front is for a 4ft Picea orientalis 'Skylands' waiting in a local nursery for delivery.
{{gwi:691367}}

Here in front of the dead J.c.'Compressa' is a Picea pungens 'Glauca Procumbens' with its leader in training. Upper middle left shows the little Pinus mugo 'Carstens' :
{{gwi:656710}}

Bernd

i was wondering if our stock came from the same source ...

i got mine from boring OR 5/2003

and it looks like it i 90% ready to give up the ghost ....

coincidence???

ken

No one has mentioned water -- junipers go out from root rot. And OP mentioned an abundance of rain.

It's typical for root rot victims to go out suddenly, typically with spring's first burst of heat.

Have you dug it up yet? When you do, take a good look at the roots. If it's root rot, don't plant another juniper there or nearby.

Yes, I dug it up. The soil is sandy, there was no flood the last months. The roots are pliable, brown and look healthy, see below :

{{gwi:691368}}

I looked carefully and tried to break branches. The upper branches are brittle, but the lower 10 inches from the ground are healthy and show healthy green foliage. So it seems the upper part froze. This winter was different that during the colder part there was little snow on the ground, there were also no larger conifers closer to it, so the exposed parts of this juniper froze to death. I could cut the upper part off and replant the lower part elsewhere, but it would not produce a 'Compressa' and could freeze again, so it goes into yard waste. It looked really nice last year, but well...

This J.c.'Compressa' I bought from Roslyn Nursery, Dix Hill, NY, via mail perhaps 6 years ago. I also bought then a J.c. 'Gold Cone' which is doing fine. The other healthy J.c.'Compressa' I bought 10 years ago from Rockspray Nursery, Truro, Mass. (Heathers are their specialty) but they probably bought it from somewhere else. It seems that these Junipers are not as hardy as registered for, and I have to put protection around the healthy 'Compressa' which is exposed starting this year.

And then, here is a Magnolia in full bloom just next to the dug up Juniper. On the left you see a 'Gold Cone' (no gold yet), to the right behind the Magnolia is a Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula'. Glorious spring!
Behind Magnolia and C.n.'Pendula' are neighbors Leyland cypresses which have lost branches due to snow load.

{{gwi:691369}}

Bernd

Sorry about the comment about rain. Must have been a "leftover" from another post I read.