Juniperus horizontalis ‘Limeglow’
Overview
Uses: Groundcover, slopes and banks, rock gardens, mass plantings, and low borders.
Benefits: A low, spreading juniper with glowing lime-chartreuse foliage that takes on bronze-orange tones in winter. Covers ground and holds slopes once established, and handles heat, drought, poor soil, and deer.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3–9
Sun: Full Sun
Life Cycle: Coniferous Shrub
Growth Habit: Spreading — low, layered mat.
Foliage Color: Bright Lime-Chartreuse, turning Bronze-Orange in winter
Mature Height: 12–18 inches
Mature Width: 4–6 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
A low juniper that keeps sunny slopes bright all year.
Creeping juniper grows wild on rocky slopes and sandy ground across Canada and the northern United States, and it has long been one of the most dependable evergreen groundcovers for hard sites. Limeglow takes that toughness and adds color: its fine, layered foliage is a vivid lime-chartreuse that stands out from across the yard.
The plant builds slowly into a low, layered mat about a foot to a foot and a half tall and four to six feet wide. Planted in groups, it covers banks and fills the spaces between boulders in a rock garden, and it makes a bright edge along the front of a sunny border.
As cold weather arrives the foliage warms to orange and bronze, holding that tone through winter before returning to lime in spring. Paired with blue junipers, dark green conifers, or purple-leaved shrubs, it gives the garden contrast in every season.
Once established it takes heat, drought, and lean, rocky soil in stride, and deer usually leave it alone.
Care
Limeglow Creeping Juniper Care
Plant in full sun. Strong light keeps the foliage bright and the mat dense; in shade the color fades and growth turns thin.
Creeping juniper prefers lean, well-drained soil and grows well in sand, gravel, and rocky ground. Avoid heavy soil that stays wet, which is the most common cause of decline. Good drainage and open air around the plants also help prevent the twig blight that can brown juniper tips in wet springs.
Water deeply once a week through the first growing season while roots establish. After that, plants tolerate long dry spells and need water only during extended drought. Mulch between new plants to hold moisture and keep weeds out while they spread.
Feeding needs are light. In poor soil, one application of a slow release fertilizer in early spring is enough; in average soil it usually needs none.
Pruning is rarely needed. Trim stray branch tips in spring to keep the mat within bounds, cutting back to a point with green foliage. Junipers do not regrow from bare wood, so avoid cutting into old, leafless stems.
Size
What Size is the Limeglow Creeping Juniper for Sale Online?
Our Limeglow Creeping Juniper ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants shipped in late fall or winter may show their orange-bronze winter color, which is normal and returns to lime in spring. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Limeglow Creeping Juniper Grow?
Expect about 12 to 18 inches tall and 4 to 6 feet wide at maturity, in a low, layered mat. Growth is slow, so space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart for groundcover and allow a few seasons for them to knit together.
Additional Information
What are some common names for this plant?
It is most often called creeping juniper, and is also known as horizontal juniper.
Is Limeglow Creeping Juniper a native plant?
It is a selection of Juniperus horizontalis, which is native across Canada and the northern United States. Selections like this one are often called nativars: they keep the toughness of the native species while adding ornamental traits such as brighter foliage color. Browse more Native Plants of North America.
Will it hold a slope?
Yes. Once the plants spread and root in, the layered branches shade the soil and help keep it in place on banks that are hard to mow. Mulch the bare ground between new plants during the first few seasons while they fill in. For more low, spreading plants, see our Groundcovers.
Do deer eat creeping juniper?
Deer usually avoid junipers because of their stiff, aromatic foliage, so Limeglow is a reliable choice where deer pressure is heavy. No plant is completely deer-proof, and hungry deer may still sample new growth in a hard winter. See more Deer-Resistant Shrubs and Evergreens.
