Juniper Blue Pacific

Juniperus conferta ‘Blue Pacific’

Juniper Blue Pacific is a low-growing, trailing groundcover that has become a favorite of many due to its more compact habit and superior foliage. It sports beautiful ocean blue-green needles that keep their color very well in colder weather.

Juniper Blue Pacific is a very adaptable shrub. It is drought, heat and cold tolerant once established in the landscape. It does very well in dry, sandy soils and is also very salt tolerant, making it a good choice for seaside gardens and coastal communities. Annually this shrub produces round, bluegreen fruit that are about ½ inch in diameter. The shrub remains short, growing approximately 12-18 inches tall, but will grow wide to cover an area up to 10 feet across. This is a great low maintenance groundcover and gets established very quickly. It looks excellent in mass plantings, on banks, around tall trees or shrubs and draped over a wall.

The Blue Pacific cultivar, is gaining popularity among Junipers. It is noted for having better blue foliage color, better ground cover form, more dense foliage along the branches and a better resistance to winter injury. It’s ability to spread and cascade down walls and pots make it a very interesting element in landscapes.

Ornamental Characteristics:

Native Origin:
Northern Japan

Common Names:
Shore juniper; Japanese shore juniper; Blue Pacifica juniper

Description:
Hardy Range: 5 – 10
Mature Height: 2 – 18’’
Mature Spread: 8 – 10’
Growth Rate: slow to moderate
Growth Habit: low; spreading
Density: dense

Ornamental Characteristics:
Blue Pacific Juniper is a dense, ground hugging conifer with aromatic gray green or blue green needlelike leaves about a half inch long and borne in fascicles of three. The needles are soft but sharp-tipped. The female cones are spherical and silvery or bluish black with a waxy glaucus bloom. The whole plant has a soft, feathery look to it.

Environment:
Soil: acidic; alkaline; sand; loam; clay
Salt: high
Exposure: full sun; partial sun