Nutrition

Juniper like many other plants is autotrophic, which means it produces many of the complex nutrients and sugars that it consumes, through photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process that occurs within the chloroplasts, the majority of which reside in the leaf regions. In the chloroplasts are the chlorophyll (the green pigment of the plant that absorbs different light rays) exchanges water, gas, and light energy in a reaction into glucose (sugar), more water, and oxygen gas. The glucose is the primary nutrient source for the plant; the sugars are transported throughout the rest of the plant by the phloem. But that’s just how they eat. What about when they get thirsty?

6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light E à C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ + H₂O

So when Juniper becomes thirsty it doesn’t go to the kitchen and grab a soda, instead it uses its roots. The roots of a plant absorb water from its substrate, the water moves up the plant through the xylem, or thin tubes. Well how can that be you ask? How does the water flow up? Water has many fabulous characteristics, such as Transpiration Adhesion Cohesion Tension, or TACT. These help water to flow from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential without ever sliding back down. Just like magic!

This a picture of a root of a  Juniper Bush, the symbols are significant as follows:

Pi= Pith

X=Xylem

P=Phloem

BF=Bast Fibres

C=Cork/Cortex

Ep=Epidermis

Everybody loves the babies. Just how does Juniper make them? Or return back to the HOMEPAGE