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Plant Encyclopedia > Junipers

Junipers (Juniperus)

Junipers (Juniperus) grow both ornamentally and wild across the globe. Some European cultures hung cuttings over doorways as part of May Day traditions and Halloween to ward off spirits witches and devils. The lumber is prized for its rich conifer aroma and is perfect for carving or lathe work. Birds hide from predators within the dense foliage. Junipers' berries are the main flavoring used in gin.

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Tree

Key Facts About Junipers

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Attributes of Junipers

Plant Height

1 m

Spread

50 cm

Leaf type

Evergreen

Ideal Temperature

5 - 35 ℃

Scientific Classification of Junipers

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Distribution of Junipers

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Distribution Map of Junipers

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

How to Grow and Care for Junipers

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The junipers is a hardy genus which thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. Its water requirement is moderate, tolerating both drought and cold climates to an extent. Junipers are often victims to a variety of pests such as spider mites, webworms, and juniper scales, as well as diseases like root rot and blight. Seasonal considerations include increased watering during summer if conditions become excessively dry, and shielding from harsh winter conditions to avoid foliage discoloration.

How to Water Junipers?

What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Junipers?

How to Propagate Junipers?

How to Plant Junipers?

More Info About Caring for Junipers

Exploring the Junipers Plants

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8 most common species：

Eastern red cedar

Eastern red cedar is a coniferous evergreen tree that is native to North America. The fruit of this tree, juniper berries, is an important food source for birds in the winter. The wood of the eastern red cedar is used in fencing as it is resistant to rot, and it is also used to line closets and chests since it also resists moths.

Creeping juniper

Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) is a juniper shrub native to North America, particularly Canada. Creeping juniper is mainly grown as an ornamental plant for ground cover in gardens. There are over 100 cultivars of creeping juniper.

Chinese juniper

The chinese juniper is an evergreen cypress tree or shrub that can provide year-round color. Some cultivars grow large while others are small enough to be used in bonsai arrangements. Large chinese juniper trees are employed as shade trees near roads, driveways, and sidewalks due to their ability to thrive in those areas.

Common juniper

The common juniper, the most common of its species, is an evergreen conifer that thrives on every continent. It is grown for the horticultural industry as well as a decorative shrub. The wood is used to make woodcrafts, while the cones are utilized to flavor and enhance various foods. Some Native American cultures use the berries for medicinal purposes.

Rocky mountain juniper

Rocky mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) is a relatively slow-growing evergreen tree that grows from 5 to 6 m tall with a columnar to a rounded shape. It has dark green foliage and berries that attract birds and other wildlife. Its aromatic wood is often used in cedar chests and lumber. It does not grow well in humid climates.

Formosan juniper

The formosan juniper is commonly found in China. This juniper has needle-like leaves and pendulous branches, giving it a fuzzy, droopy appearance. The tree is naturally smaller at higher elevations, making it an excellent choice for bonsai projects.

Prickly juniper

Prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean region and Middle East, distinguishable by its needle-like leaves and stripping bark. It produces green to crimson orange berry-like fruits. The tree's strong and durable wood makes it ideal for furniture making. Its oils are collected from its leaves and branches as an ingredient for soaps and perfumes.

Western juniper

Western juniper takes about 100 years to reach its full height of 15 m. The leaves of often smell like apples or lemons when crushed, and the fruits are in the form of green berries. American Indian tribes have used the seeds from the cones as food, and today, it’s famous as a flavoring for gin and other liquors.

All Species of Junipers

Rocky mountain juniper

Savin juniper is a poisonous coniferous shrub native to parts of Europe and Asia. It is often cultivated as a hedge and is resistant to deer, drought and pollution. It is easy to grow but does not tolerate wet soils.

Ashe juniper

Ashe juniper

This fragrant evergreen, the ashe juniper, is an attractive landscaping tree which produces heavy pollen that is detrimental to allergy sufferers. With dark green foliage, this tree can grow up to 9 m tall. Female trees produce a dark blue pinecone that looks like a berry. The ashe juniper is both heat and drought tolerant and is native to Texas.

Phoenician juniper

Juniperus phoenicea is a symbol of El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands. It grows naturally in the Mediterranean, mostly at low altitudes. This small shrub-forming tree produces red to brown berries often used in cooking.

Utah Juniper

You’ll find utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) mostly in the western part of the United States. Because the wood is resistant to decay, builders use it a lot in construction—particularly for making fence posts. People love to use it for firewood because of its delightful smell and coals that burn for a long time.

Needle juniper

Needle juniper

The weeping habit and distinct foliage of needle juniper make it a popular ornamental in gardens. This conifer is often found on the grounds of temples in Japan, which gives rise to its common name of Temple Juniper. Needle juniper is fairly tolerant to pollution and, interestingly, often cultivated as a bonsai subject.

French alpine juniper

French alpine juniper

French alpine juniper is an evergreen shrub cultivated for its ornamental value, especially as a hedge plant, and for its timber. Its timber is used in carpentry and cabinet making because it is rot and insect resistant, making it a valuable wood. Essential oils are derived from the shrub.

Alligator juniper

Alligator juniper (Juniperus deppeana) is an evergreen conifer whose name comes from its checkered bark that looks like an alligator’s skin. This tree will live hundreds of years and develop a massive trunk. Its foliage is a silver-blue green color. Produces seed cones in fall and winter that provide a food source for wildlife.

Flaky juniper

Flaky juniper (Juniperus squamata) is a species of evergreen that grows in well-drained soils and is native to the Middle East and Asia. Each berry-like cone that it produces only contains one seed, which earns the plant its other common name, the single seed juniper.

Sargent juniper

Most properly described as shrubby, sargent juniper (Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii) creates a creeping, blue-green mat. Although it only grows 30 to 61 cm tall, it is capable of spreading 2.5 to 3 m across the ground. Female plants may produce fleshy, blue-black seed cones.

Japanese garden juniper

Japanese garden juniper (*Juniperus procumbens*) is an evergreen, perennial, shrubby ground cover that will grow from 20 to 30 cm tall and spread 3 to 4.5 m wide. Blue-green foliage takes on a purple tinge in winter and never needs pruning. It thrives in full sun to partial shade. Water sparingly, providing more irrigation in summer heat. It needs well-drained soil.

Drooping juniper

Drooping juniper

The drooping juniper is an evergreen tree common to the mountains of Mexico and Texas, USA. This tree got its name from the drooping or weeping appearance of the branches. Known for its durable wood, the tree is harvested by the locals and used for fence posts. It is also planted as an ornamental, especially in regions with drier climates.

California juniper

The california juniper (*Juniperus californica*) is a small tree with bluish-gray foliage and tiny brown cones. Its berries are widely used as a beverage flavoring - especially for gin - and indigenous populations ate the berries either fresh or ground into meal. This tree is tolerant of heat, cold, and drought. It is used in landscaping as an ornamental and is also a popular species for bonsai.

Redberry juniper

Redberry juniper

Redberry juniper is a coniferous evergreen native to the southern United States. Its gray bark peels off in strips, and it produces berry-like cones. It is found along creeks and in dry, gravelly areas.

Sierra juniper

Sierra juniper (Juniperus occidentalis var. australis) is a tree that can be recognized by its attractive and distinctive two-colored brown and almost black-striped bark. This bark and the tree's bushy shape give it plenty of ornamental appeal, but it is highly susceptible to fire, which reduces its garden popularity. This tree's wood is not considered to be useful commercially.

Canary islands juniper

Canary islands juniper

the three larger scales each with a single seed. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the cones digesting the fleshy scales and passing the hard seeds in their droppings. The male cones are yellow 2 to 3 mm long and fall soon after shedding their pollen in winter–spring.

Syrian juniper

Juniperus drupacea is the tallest species of juniper, forming a conical tree 10 to 25 m tall, exceptionally up to 40 m, and with a trunk up to 1 to 2 m thick. It has needle-like leaves in whorls of three; the leaves are green, 5 to 25 mm long and 2 to 3 mm broad, with a double white stomatal band (split by a green midrib) on the inner surface.

Greek juniper

Juniperus excelsa is a large shrub or tree reaching 6 to 20 m tall (rarely 25 m). It has a trunk up to 2 m in diameter, and a broadly conical to rounded or irregular crown. The leaves are of two forms, juvenile needle-like leaves 8 to 10 mm long on seedlings, and adult scale-leaves 0.6 to 3 mm long on older plants.

Junipers 'William Pfitzer'

Juniperus × pfitzeriana 'William Pfitzer'

Junipers 'William Pfitzer'

Junipers 'William Pfitzer' is named after Wilhelm Pfitzer (1821–1905), the German horticulturalist. This dwarf juniper is a ground-spreading hybrid that grows only up to 1.5 meters in contrast to the40 meters that the parent tree can grow to. The attractive light green foliage makes this a highly prized garden specimen tree.

Flaky juniper 'Holger'

Flaky juniper 'Holger'

Flaky juniper 'Holger' is distinct for its foliage, which first appears yellow but then matures to blue-green, giving it a two-toned coloration in the spring. A cultivar of Juniperus squamata, its name is a masculine given name of Scandinavian origin. Gardeners appreciate this plant as a compact evergreen that provides winter interest.

Common juniper 'Repanda'

Common juniper 'Repanda'

Common juniper 'Repanda' is an evergreen shrub with a prostrate habit, growing as a low, dense carpet with dark green needle-like leaves that take on a bronze hue in winter. This is a cultivar of the Juniperus communis and was selected in Ireland by M. Prichard, an English nurseryman. Repanda means ‘spread out’ or ‘flattened’. It functions as a great ground cover.

Creeping juniper 'Golden Carpet'

Creeping juniper 'Golden Carpet'

Creeping juniper 'Golden Carpet' is known for its extreme hardiness as a ground cover. It earns its name by generating beautiful gold-tinged foliage all year round. The plant has earned an RHS Award of Garden Merit Award. This Juniperus cultivar is tolerant of most soil types and will grow in full sun, covering slopes and steep banks.

Eastern red cedar 'Grey Owl'

Eastern red cedar 'Grey Owl'

Eastern red cedar 'Grey Owl' is a shrubby juniper named for its silvery foliage. This juniper only grows to about 61 to 91 cm tall and has a spread of 1.2 to 1.8 m. Birds love the dark purple berries that eastern red cedar 'Grey Owl' produces.

Chinese juniper 'Pyramidalis'

Chinese juniper 'Pyramidalis'

A cultivar of Chinese juniper, chinese juniper 'Pyramidalis' is an upright evergreen columnar that forms a roughly pyramidal shape. A flexible cultivar, it requires little to no pruning and can tolerate full sun or partial shade. Chinese juniper 'Pyramidalis' is an evergreen, and its silvery-gray foliage persists throughout the seasons.

Creeping juniper 'Blue Chip'

Creeping juniper 'Blue Chip'

Creeping juniper 'Blue Chip' is a creeping Juniperus cultivar with distinct horizontal branches. It offers evergreen foliage that is green to blue-green most of the year but turns purple in winter. This cultivar is named for its steel-blue foliage. This plant enjoys hot dry conditions and looks stunning in rock gardens and on slopes.

Common juniper 'Hibernica'

Common juniper 'Hibernica'

Common juniper 'Hibernica' is an evergreen, dense conifer that grows in an upright, broad columnar shape with erect branches. It offers needle-like, green-gray foliage. It is a cultivar of Juniperus communis and is also called the Irish Juniper. The name comes from the word Hibernia, an ancient name for Ireland. This plant is easy to grow, requiring well-drained soil and full sun.

Junipers 'Stricta'

Junipers 'Stricta'

A cultivar of Chinese juniper, junipers 'Stricta' is beloved for its soft, blue-green foliage and pyramidal shape. It is considered an optimal species for providing year-round structure, as neither its color nor its shape change with the seasons. However, it does require full sun to thrive, although it is drought-resistant and tolerates narrow spaces.

Junipers 'Old Gold'

Junipers 'Old Gold'

A cultivar of Juniper, junipers 'Old Gold' is a compact, gold-colored shrub considered among "the best golden spreaders." The yellow is brightest on the tips of new growth, and this plant retains its leaves and consequent shading year-round. For its noteworthy qualities, it has been awarded an Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Flaky juniper 'Blue Star'

Flaky juniper 'Blue Star'

A cultivar of juniper, flaky juniper 'Blue Star' is a dwarf evergreen whose name derives from its needly, blue-silver foliage, which darkens to purple-blue in winter. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit. Low-maintenance and drought-resistant, this cultivar is perfect for beginners so long as it receives full sun.

Junipers 'Nana'

Junipers 'Nana'

A cultivar of Juniper, junipers 'Nana' is a prostrate variant that produces masses of prickly, coniferous, gray-green leaves. Differing from other cultivars and the parent plant, the junipers 'Nana' forms low, dense, wide-spreading mats. Gardeners like it as it thrives in full or partial sunlight and is recommended for being easy to grow, as it requires no pruning.

Common juniper 'Green Carpet'

Common juniper 'Green Carpet'

Common juniper 'Green Carpet' is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with a prostrate habit. It forms a dense carpet of bright green leaves that turn dark green as they mature. It is a cultivar of Juniperus communis, the common juniper, and was named for its resemblance to a green carpet. It makes a great filler in rock gardens and can be grown as a ground cover.

Phoenician juniper

Phoenician juniper

Phoenician juniper is a resilient, evergreen shrub characterized by its dense, conical form and reddish-bark. It boasts small, scale-like leaves and berry-like cones with a distinctive aroma. Thriving in coastal and dry rocky areas, phoenician juniper is well-adapted to withstand arid conditions, its needle-shaped foliage reflecting an evolutionary response to limit water loss.

Dwarf juniper

Dwarf juniper

Dwarf juniper is a hardy, evergreen shrub typical of rocky outcrops and mountainous terrain, where its resilience is on full display. It bears needle-like leaves in whorls of three, accompanied by berry-like cones. These bluish fruits are distinguishable by a whitish, waxy bloom, offering a visual signal of the plant's adaptation to its rugged habitat.

Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus

Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus is characterized by its dense, prickly foliage and woody, spreading habit. This hardy shrub boasts needle-like leaves and produces aromatic blue-black berries, which are actually modified cones. Adapted to dry, rocky environments, juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus demonstrates resilience with its flammable, oily bark, often reflecting an evolutionary response to wildfire-promoted habitats.

Azores juniper

Azores juniper

Azores juniper is a small, evergreen shrub endemic to the Azores archipelago. This juniper variety features scale-like leaves and thrives in the moist, volcanic soils of its native habitat. Adaptable to misty and windy conditions, it bears berry-like cones that provide sustenance for local wildlife. Azores juniper's slow growth and twisted, weathered appearance reflect its resilience to the harsh island climate.

Junipers 'Aurea'

Junipers 'Aurea'

A cultivar of Chinese juniper, junipers 'Aurea' is a conifer valued for its golden-yellow needles, which persist year-round. Likewise, male specimens sprout abundant yellow cones throughout summer months. It has also been awarded the prestigious "Award of Garden Merit" by the Royal Horticulture Society.

Eastern red cedar 'Glauca'

Eastern red cedar 'Glauca'

Eastern red cedar 'Glauca' is a columnar cedar that grows up to 8 m and has an 2.5 m spread. The name ‘Glauca’ refers to the foliage that changes from silver-blue to blue-green throughout the year. Eastern red cedar 'Glauca' produces dark purple berries that are covered in white wax which are a favorite to many birds.

Southern redcedar

Southern redcedar

Southern redcedar is a resilient conifer often found in coastal terrains and sandy plains of the Southeast United States. This variety is distinguished by its scaled blue-green foliage and conical or columnar shape, reaching up to 40 feet tall. Its dense crown and reddish-brown bark help it withstand harsh, dry conditions, making it a steadfast presence in its native landscape.

Creeping juniper 'Limeglow'

Creeping juniper 'Limeglow'

This is a dwarf evergreen shrub known for its extreme hardiness and beautiful feathery chartreuse foliage. The plant won an RHS Award of Garden Merit Award and was named for its glowing and ever-changing colors; lime green gives way to copper-bronze and orange in the winter season. Creeping juniper 'Limeglow' is tolerant of most soil types and looks fabulous cascading over fences, walls and trellises.

More Popular Genus

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Dracaena

Fig trees

Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.

Brambles

Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.

Maples

Prunus

Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.

Nightshades

Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.

Roses

Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.

Oaks

Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.

Junipers

Juniperus

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Tree

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Key Facts About Junipers

Feedback

Attributes of Junipers

Plant Height

1 m

Spread

50 cm

Leaf type

Evergreen

Ideal Temperature

5 - 35 ℃

Scientific Classification of Junipers

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Distribution of Junipers

Feedback

Distribution Map of Junipers

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

How to Grow and Care for Junipers

Feedback

How to Water Junipers?

What Are the Sunlight Requirements for Junipers?

How to Propagate Junipers?

How to Plant Junipers?

More Info About Caring for Junipers

Exploring the Junipers Plants

Feedback

8 most common species：

Rocky mountain juniper

Formosan juniper

Prickly juniper

Western juniper

Show More Species

All Species of Junipers

Rocky mountain juniper

French alpine juniper

Alligator juniper

Flaky juniper

Sargent juniper

Japanese garden juniper

Canary islands juniper

Syrian juniper

Greek juniper

Junipers 'William Pfitzer'

Flaky juniper 'Holger'

Common juniper 'Repanda'

Creeping juniper 'Golden Carpet'

Eastern red cedar 'Grey Owl'

Chinese juniper 'Pyramidalis'

Creeping juniper 'Blue Chip'

Common juniper 'Hibernica'

Junipers 'Stricta'

Junipers 'Old Gold'

Flaky juniper 'Blue Star'

Junipers 'Nana'

Common juniper 'Green Carpet'

Phoenician juniper

Dwarf juniper

Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus

Azores juniper

Junipers 'Aurea'

Eastern red cedar 'Glauca'

Southern redcedar

Creeping juniper 'Limeglow'

More Popular Genus

Feedback

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