Junipers

Junipers range from flat groundcovers only a few inches tall to spreading shrubs and narrow upright trees. This collection includes groundcover, shrub, and columnar selections in blue, green, and gold tones.

That range lets junipers serve as lawn alternatives, slope covers, foundation plants, screens, and vertical accents.

Junipers need full sun to stay dense and hold their color. In shade they grow thin and open and are more prone to disease.

They tolerate heat, wind, and poor soil as long as drainage is good.

Junipers are among the most drought-tolerant evergreens once established. Water regularly in the first season, then only during prolonged dry spells.

Overwatering and heavy, wet soil are the most common problems, so avoid irrigating junipers on the same schedule as lawns and perennials.

Junipers are generally deer-resistant thanks to their sharp, aromatic foliage. Browsing is occasional and usually limited to new growth in hard winters.

They are also tolerant of road salt, which makes them useful along driveways and streets.

Most junipers need little pruning. Remove dead or damaged branches any time and lightly tip-prune in spring to control spread.

Avoid cutting back into old, leafless wood, because junipers do not resprout from bare branches.

Low-growing junipers excel on slopes, banks, and hot dry sites where grass is hard to maintain. They knit together to suppress weeds and control erosion.

Space plants according to mature width so they fill in without piling up, and mulch between them until they cover the ground.