Juniperus horizontalis
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- jew-NIP-er-us hor-ih-zon-TAL-iss
- Description
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Creeping Juniper is a native low-growing shrub that grows up to 1.5 feet high and branches can spread to form a dense mat up to 10 feet wide. It is found growing in rocky or sandy soils from rocky outcrops to streams. It is drought and deer tolerant and moderately salt tolerant. Creeping Juniper is fairly adaptable to soil types and pH as long as the soil is well-drained.
There are many cultivars available for use as a ground cover in hot dry areas as slopes, rock gardens or retaining walls.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Fescue Grass Entrance Statement Shaded Patio Garden Asian Garden- Pathway
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Andorra'
- 'Blue Pacific'
- 'Maiden Gold'
- 'Plumosa'
Light green foliage, purple-tinged in winter 'Bar Harbor'
Very small, tightly appressed, awl-shaped scale-like leaves 'Blue Chip'
Silver-blue-green foliage all year, purplish tips in winter 'Blue Forest'
Blue-green branch tips turn up
Dense, trailing, creeping form 'Lime Glow'
Upright mound to v-shaped
Flat pancake form
Blue-green foliage turns purple in winter 'Wiltonii'
Branches are long and floppy, forming dense mats, grown as a groundcover - 'Blue Pacific'
- 'Andorra', 'Bar Harbor', 'Blue Chip', 'Blue Forest', 'Blue Pacific', 'Blue Rug', 'Lime Glow', 'Maiden Gold', 'Mother Lode', 'Plumosa', 'Plumosa Compacta', 'Wiltonii'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Andorra'
- 'Blue Pacific'
- 'Maiden Gold'
- 'Plumosa'
Light green foliage, purple-tinged in winter 'Bar Harbor'
Very small, tightly appressed, awl-shaped scale-like leaves 'Blue Chip'
Silver-blue-green foliage all year, purplish tips in winter 'Blue Forest'
Blue-green branch tips turn up
Dense, trailing, creeping form 'Lime Glow'
Upright mound to v-shaped
Flat pancake form
Blue-green foliage turns purple in winter 'Wiltonii'
Branches are long and floppy, forming dense mats, grown as a groundcover - 'Blue Pacific'
- 'Andorra', 'Bar Harbor', 'Blue Chip', 'Blue Forest', 'Blue Pacific', 'Blue Rug', 'Lime Glow', 'Maiden Gold', 'Mother Lode', 'Plumosa', 'Plumosa Compacta', 'Wiltonii'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Juniperus
- Species:
- horizontalis
- Family:
- Cupressaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Northern North America into Canada
- Wildlife Value:
- Deer resistant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Blue
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Blue 2 to 3-seeded berry-like cone on recurved stalks appear the second year after pollination. They are less than 1/2 inch wide. May or may not be present on cultivars.
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Flowers:
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Male cones have a cluster of yellowish stamens up to 5 mm. long. Female cones have a cluster of small scales during their first year. Wind pollinated. Appear late spring or summer.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The mature leaves are scale-like with scales closely pressed to stem and found in a four rank pattern. Young leaves are awl-like in opposite pairs. Color is green to blue-green in summer. May take on a purplish hue in winter
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Peeling
- Bark Description:
- Reddish-brown and peeling
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Branchlets are brown and smooth. New growth is yellow-green
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Rock Wall
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Rock Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Erosion
- Salt
