Juniperus communis L. subsp. communis
Conservation status: C
First record: Ray,1660
Juniper has variously been recorded on Gogmagogh Hills and Juniper Hill, Hildersham, (Relhan); Gogmagogs in the Park/ L.Osborne's park on the Gogmagogs (scarce), On a hill near Linton by the back road from Hildersham/Hill east of Linton, "Juniper Hill" of Relhan, and Plentiful in Westhoe Park, by Coleman in 1835; The Rivey, Linton, Westhoe near Linton and Roman Road by Babington in 1860. The first record for the Fleam Dyke was only in 1879.
Note on Junipers on Fleam Dyke:
Junipers were first recorded on the Fleam Dyke by AS Shrubbs in 1879, (CGE) and in an annotation by HN Dixon in 1882. Then again only in 1903, 1911, and 1960. In 1960 the first survey was carried out by SM Walters (Nat. in Cambs 1961), when he counted approximately 24 bushes and described their appearance. Between 1977 and 1991 there are annual reports on the state of the bushes by Dr Clark. Two moribund bushes were replaced in 1978. and 14 bushes mapped by KV Cramp, about half the number present in 1961. In the 1980s there appears to have been very vigorous growth of the bushes. In 1986 12 were recorded tentatively, and 11 bushes were mapped by Ball in 1994. During this period scrub was repeatedy cut from around the bushes to help their growth.
The Clark & Cramp records for the Fleam Dyke are from Report by N Ball, 1995. Wildlife Trust copy.
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Juniperus officinarum Martyn,1727,117.
Juniperus communis Common Juniper. Gogmagog Hills. Juniper Hill, near Hidersham. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
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Juniperus communis Common Juniper. Gogmagog Hills. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Juniperus communis L. Osborne's park on the Gogmagogs, (scarce). 1835,Coleman(a),55.
Gogmagogs in the Park. Coleman(b).
In the park, Gogmagogs; WH Coleman. Bab.1860,220.
Cp.Li T H. [Chalk pit Lt Trees Hill] HD.ann.Bab.
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Juniperus Juniper-tree. Near Hildersham on a hill, called thence Juniper-hill, plentifully. Ray,1660,82(77). JM.ann.
Juniperus Juniper-tree. Upon Juniper-hill near Hildersham, and no where else near Cambridge, that I know. Ray,1670:181-2;1677,175.
Juniperus vulgaris, fruticosa. The common Juniper-Tree. On Juniper-hill in Cambridgshire,... Martyn,1732,2:51.
[Juniperus] Juniper hill near Hildersham Augt. 21 1760. Th.M.ann.Meth.117.
Juniperus Juniper hill Th.M.ann.Meth.-Index Loc.11.
Hildersham. On a little hill called Juniper-hill, from the great quantity of this plant growing upon it. Martyn,1763,Herbat.X.
Hild. Fisher ann. Berkenhout,275.
Juniper Hill, near Hildersham. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Linton, JS Henslow, 23.5.1833, det. PD Sell 1990, CGE.
Linton, Hb CC Babington & JS Henslow, 23.5.1833, det PD Sell 1990, CGE.
Linton, Hb CE Broome, 2.6.1835, BATHG.
Linton, Hb JA Power, 3.6.1835, RTE.
Rivey Wood Linton. Bab.ann.Relhan,411.
Hill east of Linton, 'Juniper hill' of Relhan. 1835,Coleman(a),55.
On a hill near Linton by the back road from Hildersham. Coleman(b).
Hildersham, Hb JA Power, 29.5.1837, RTE.
The Rivey, Linton. Bab.1860,220.
Juniper Hill, Hildersham (which was so named from the abundance of the plant); Ray. Bab.1860,220.
Juniper Hill, Hildersham CC Babington, 1866, Bab.ann.
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Plentiful in Westhoe park. 1835,Coleman(a),55.
Westhoe Park. Coleman(b).
Westhoe, near Linton. Bab.1860,220.
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Woolstreet. Bab.ann.Relhan,411.
Roman road, near Hildersham. Bab.1860,220.
Roman Road, near Linton, Compton, 1912, Evans,1913,233.
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Via Devana beyond Babraham, H Gilbert Carter, 1939.
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Fleam Dyke, A Shrubbs, 11.9.1879, det. PD Sell 1990, CGE.
Fleam Dyke, Balsham. 1882, HD.ann.Bab.
Sparingly on the Fleam Dyke. West,1898,256.
Fleam Dyke, (4 and seeds), A Hosking, 5.9.1903, CUBG 209/03, CGE.
Fleam Dyke, A Hosking, 9.1903, det. PD Sell 1990, CGE.
Fleam Dyke, PGM Rhodes, CBSC, 1905.
Fleam Dyke, Evans,1911,248.
Fleam Dyke, AGT List.
Male & female bushes on Fleam Dyke. A dead one c.40 yrs old, 1941, TG Tutin.
Fleam Dyke, H Gilbert Carter, 1939.
Fleam Dyke, FH Perring, 1952.
Fleam Dyke, 55-53, PD Sell 60/46, 7.5.1960, CGE.
Fleam Dyke:
Fleam Dyke. 3.1.1960, Inspection of Juniper. 1st isolated bush c.12 feet narrow outline c.150 yds from main road. Then after another 50 yds a continous scatter of bushes (including two groups of 3–4) as far as break in Dyke before wooded part. Two samples taken for HC & cult. One of narrow columnar bush nearest road, other of an apparently more spreading form. Altogether at least 24 bushes varying from 1 foot to c.12 feet tall. One or two moribund, but majority seem quite healthy: no regeneration. Some bushes growing healthily from base with dead old trunks above (fire or rabbits or both? –more likely rabbits in hard winter because fire incidence not obviously different now). Only one bush looked like recent fire damage. Beautiful mild sunny day. First bush is just beyond Betula pendula but at bottom of ditch has a few berries. Only one small bush on top, rest on S–facing slope. SM Walters field notebook. 'General Cambs 1959–62.'
The first [Juniper] bush is about 150 yards from the road and separated from the rest of the population by 100 yards or so. The others occur along the south bank as far as the Bedford gap... 550.540–553.537. The isolated bush is in the bottom of the ditch, and is the tallest one seen, with a narrow outline and estimated at 10 to 12 ft. A few berries were seen on this bush, but not on any of the others. In the main population, there are two groups of three or four bushes each and a number of separate plants, ranging from stunted and misshapen bushes not more than 1 ft. tall to several of about 5 or 6 ft. The total seen was about 24.... The present appearance of the bushes suggests that this period of decline [due to rabbit grazing] may be over; most of the smaller bushes have healthy new growth near the ground, and only one looked moribund. SM Walters, 3.1.1960, Nat. in Cambs (1961),4:40-41.
Fleam Dyke, 552.537, (bush c.1m. high), PD Sell 63/20, 4.5.1963, CGE.
Juniper trees responded well to clearing around them and the foliage is in much better condition than two year ago. Clark, 2.1977.
...Juniper...Overgrown by thorn bushes and elder some of these plants were damaged and two junipers were destroyed. Members of the Committee have now removed the scrub around the bushes: already there is an improvement. Specimens of juniper have been raised in the Botanic Garden from original dyke stock and two of these have been planted on the Dyke to replace the two which died. Reserve reports, Nat. in Cambs,(1978), 21:14.
The juniper trees flourished in the last few years as a result of the clearing of the surrounding vegetation and if this is maintained they should make good progress. The two juniper bushes planted during last winter have taken good root and appear to be flourishing. Clark, 4.1978.
14 mapped, including two planted 26.10.1977 which were both male: No 11–120cm x 50cm, No 12–110cm x 35cm, KV Cramp. 1978 [No 13 has been scratched out, and only one tree is recorded along north edge of FP along top. The 'First' bush, c.120 yds from 'Benchmark' is shown relatively close to next group of trees while SM Walters said it was 100 yds from them.]
The two junipers planted two years ago are growing well. Of the other junipers, the large ones are flourishing but one or two of the small ones have been much nibbled by rabbits in winter and look as if they may be slowly dying. There is need for a working party to clear around several obushes. Clark, 3.1979.
I have cleared around each of the junipers this winter and they are now standing free. The large juniper trees are flourishing but the small one to the east of the path is even smaller. The two junipers planted a few years ago are now some 4 feet high and flourishing. Clark, 4.1980.
The junipers are in good heart; the recently planted ones continue to flourish and are well above their wire netting. The tall junipers, especially the first one in the ditch, grow well. The smallest juniper, the one on the eastern side of the Dyke, hardly grows at all, but can still be discovered by diligently parting the grasses. Clark, 3.1981.
The junipers are doing well. The recently planted ones are now about six feet tall and the tall junipers continue to flourish, the small ones on the other hand are not doing so well and the smallest one has almost disappeared. Clark, 3.1982.
1983: no record.
The junipers are doing very well indeed. The 'first' one is over 30 feet high and the newly planted ones put on nearly a foot a year. Clark, 3.1984.
The junipers are growing very well; the largest is nearly [sic] 30 feet high and those that were planted 10 years ago are now about 9 feet high. Clark, 4.1985.
Population of 12 recorded tentatively. Crawford,1.1986.
Manpower Services Commission (MSC) cleared brush from around the junipers (this was long overdue). Clark, 4.1986.
MSC team again cleared around bushes. Clark, 4.1987.
1988 & 1989: no records.
9 bushes seen, some short and broad & some narrow & columnar. One old bush c.6m high with trunk 40cm in circumference, among bushes on chalk grassland, Fleam Dyke, 551.539, PD Sell 89/1 & JG Murrell, 11.1.1989, CGE.
The juniper bushes in the south section must be kept under observation and the surrounding brushwood cleared back once every five years. They are in fairly good condition in 1990. Clark,1990.
The junipers are all fairly clear and growing vigorously, especially the small bush on the east side of the path; it is now six feet tall. Clark,1991.
1992 & 1993: no records.
Map (to scale) of 11 bushes August 1, 1994: [The 'first' bush is over 200m from A.11 end of Dyke] and table of height, girth, sex/berries [8 males and 3 females], grazing damage, disease [none], seedling regeneration [none], scrub surround, fauna, and condition. N Ball,1995.
Scrub clearance around juniper bushes, plus photographs before and after scrub clearance. Aug. 3.1994. N Ball,1995.
10 bushes including 3 ± dead and c.3 new ones which have been planted from Fleam Dyke stock held at CUBG, all on SW facing bank, G Crompton, 11.1.1998.
Cuttings to be taken from junipers on Dyke over a period 3 years [?] N Ball,1995.
In Jan.1998 there were 60 rooted cuttings to hand as reported to meeting at M Stanier's by Sharon Hearle. These were planted out on two pieces of land adjacent to the Dyke and A.11 in April 1999 by the Wildlife Trust.
11 bushes, including two new ones to replace two which had died. The whole section (except for the area of badger setts) has been clear felled during last winter. S Hearle with G Crompton, 31.5.2001.
6 seedlings 1 inch tall under mat of Galium aparine around base of the large female bush at 1–2 m. distance, 553.537, (Hippocrepis comosa and Campanula rotundifolia was found on newly cleared area), S Hearle, 18.7.2001.
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Roswell Pits... The surprise of the afternoon was the discovery of a Juniper bush on a chalky mound,... 19.8.1972, CNT exc.
