Juniperus conferta

This Juniper is native to Japan and is often referred to as shore juniper as it prefers a dry, sandy soil in full sun, though they will adapt to other average to poor soils if well-drained. It does well in dry,  hot conditions and resists urban pollutants, but does not tolerate wet roots.  The plant spreads low to the ground at 10-18 inches high with splitting, branched stems as wide as 6-8 feet so can be grown as a groundcover. Since this creates a dense mat when planted too close, plant 6' on center. This plant is seldom damaged by deer and is drought tolerant.

The evergreen foliage is of attractive, fragrant, blue-green needles in groups of three; though some varieties are silver to yellow in color.  They produce seed in a berry-like cone which is black when immature and silvery at maturity.  

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  It can be insect and disease-prone in some situations if stressed by a wet and rainy period.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.