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Creeping Juniper Juniperus horizontalis

Phonetic Spelling
jew-NIP-er-us hor-ih-zon-TAL-iss
Description

Creeping juniper is a low-growing, needled evergreen shrub in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family. It is a native of North America, found throughout Canada and the northern part of the United States from Maine west to Montana and in Alaska. Both its species and common names refer to the tendency of its long, trailing branches to spread much farther horizontally than it grows vertically.

Usually found growing in rocky or sandy soils from rocky outcrops to streams, this shrub is fairly adaptable to various soil types and pH as long as the soil is well drained. It is drought and deer tolerant, fairly salt tolerant, and grows well in coastal conditions.. It prefers full sun and tolerates hot weather, moderately poor soils, and many air pollutants found in urban areas. Creeping juniper grows up to 1.5 feet high, and branches can spread to form a dense mat up to 10 feet wide. Plant 6 to 12 feet apart. 

Creeping juniper has green or blue-green, scale-like foliage that may take on a purplish tinge in winter. It produces small, round, blue, berry-like cones.

There are many cultivars available for use as a ground cover on slopes, where it can help control soil erosion, or in retaining walls or rock gardens. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Creeping juniper and its cultivars are susceptible to infestation by aphids, bagworms, caterpillars, false spider mites, juniper scale, juniper tip mite, juniper webworm, and spruce spider mites.This shrub and its cultivars are susceptible to Cercospora needle blight, Phomopsis and other blights, and some fungal diseases. It shares with apple trees a susceptibility to a rust fungus called Gymnosporangium juniperi - virginianae. This fungus causes "cedar apples" on juniper twigs and dark leaf spots on apple leaves. 

The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests.

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:
Shaded Patio Garden Paths & Walkways
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Andorra', 'Bar Harbor', 'Blue Chip', 'Blue Forest', 'Blue Pacific', 'Blue Rug', 'Lime Glow', 'Maiden Gold', 'Mother Lode', 'Plumosa', 'Plumosa Compacta', 'Wiltonii', 'Youngstown'
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#small shrub#salt tolerant#slopes#tsc#air pollution tolerant#erosion control#spreading#deer resistant#groundcover#rock garden#urban conditions tolerant#sandy soils tolerant#rocky soils tolerant#tsc-cg#coastal plant#landscape plant sleuths course
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
'Andorra', 'Bar Harbor', 'Blue Chip', 'Blue Forest', 'Blue Pacific', 'Blue Rug', 'Lime Glow', 'Maiden Gold', 'Mother Lode', 'Plumosa', 'Plumosa Compacta', 'Wiltonii', 'Youngstown'
Tags:
#evergreen#full sun tolerant#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#small shrub#salt tolerant#slopes#tsc#air pollution tolerant#erosion control#spreading#deer resistant#groundcover#rock garden#urban conditions tolerant#sandy soils tolerant#rocky soils tolerant#tsc-cg#coastal plant#landscape plant sleuths course
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Juniperus
    Species:
    horizontalis
    Family:
    Cupressaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Northern North America into Canada
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Needled Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • 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, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Blue
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    No fruits, cones are blue 2 to 3-seeded and berry-like 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.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    No flowers. 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.
  • 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
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Dark Brown
    Red/Burgundy
    Surface/Attachment:
    Peeling
    Bark Description:
    Reddish-brown and peeling
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Branchlets are brown and smooth. New growth is yellow-green
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Coastal
    Rock Wall
    Slope/Bank
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Mass Planting
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Erosion
    Heat
    Pollution
    Salt
    Urban Conditions