Comprehensive Guide to Growing and Caring for Juniper Shrubs

Chances are you’ve seen juniper shrubs growing all over the place, from the carefully sculpted topiaries flanking the doorway of a home, to the wild plants thriving in the unlikeliest of places. Junipers grow in a massive range of environmental conditions, and they’ve been cultivated by numerous cultures throughout history as medicine, food, and for their ornamental value. Perhaps another reason that they’re so ubiquitous in gardens is that they’re so darn easy to care for when planted in the right spot.

In many areas, they don’t even need supplemental irrigation. As for fertilizing and pruning? Typically, these are rare tasks.

If you’re ready to add this classic shrub to your space, or if you just want to know how to better care for the one you already have, this article will cover all of the basics that you should know.

What You’ll Learn

• Cultivation and History
• Propagation
• How to Grow
• Growing Tips
• Pruning and Maintenance
• Species and Cultivars to Select
• Managing Pests and Disease
• Best Uses
• Quick Reference Growing Guide

There’s a lot to love about these plants, so let’s get going!

Cultivation and History

The juniper genus (Juniperus) is part of the conifer family (Cupressaceae), which includes fir, spruce, and pine trees. Like the rest of the family, these species are evergreen with scale or needle-like leaves.

While most people recognize that familiar needle shape common on many conifers, scale leaves are the broader, fuller leaves that you see on cedar trees. Scale leaves have small overlapping structures that resemble scales.

Junipers are native to a surprising range of different environments, from low elevations to extremely high ones, and from arid deserts to alpine tundras and temperate rainforests.

One of the reasons for their prolific natures is that these shrubs can handle conditions that many other plants can’t tolerate, including drought and freezing temps, as well as poor, acidic, sandy, or calcareous soils.

They’re considered a “pioneer species,” which means they are the first to colonize barren environments.

They grow extensively, so much so that the common juniper (J. communis) is the most widespread conifer and one of the most widely distributed plants in the world.

Junipers are dioecious, with male and female plants. Males develop cones in the spring, which pollinate female flowers the next year to produce bluish-black berries with one to three seeds.

Junipers can live for thousands of years. The oldest in the world is in California, 3000 years old, possibly even 6000 years old.

Propagation

The most reliable ways to obtain junipers for your garden are by taking a cutting, air layering, or purchasing from a nursery.

Planting by seed requires up to four years and is not recommended. Cuttings are the most reliable way, especially in spring.

Air layering is a technique exposing the interior of a branch and removing the newly rooted section.

If purchasing from a nursery, ensure it looks healthy, and plant in the spring or fall after amending soil.

How to Grow

Junipers can handle a wide range of soils and typically don’t require watering after establishment. Prune in late winter or early spring only as needed.

They are excellent container plants and resilient enough for bonsai. Fertilize after six months and annually as needed. Avoid overwatering and follow spacing requirements.

Growing Tips

• These shrubs must have well-draining soil.
• Water only after the top three inches of soil have dried out.
• Fertilize only as needed after testing your soil.

Pruning and Maintenance

Prune junipers any time when the wood isn’t frozen, limiting to removing unsightly or diseased branches while avoiding shearing.

Ensure to remove dead or bare branches and avoid overpruning to maintain a natural look.

Species and Cultivars to Select

Choose from various species and cultivars, ranging from ground covers to trees, with different colors, textures, and heights.

Some standout options are:

• Bar Harbor
• Blue Pacific
• Blue Point
• Gold Cone
• Grey Owl
• Hughes
• Kallay’s Compact
• Youngstown

Managing Pests and Disease

Maintain healthy plants to prevent issues like herbivore damage, aphids, bagworms, juniper webworms, spider mites, cedar apple rust, twig blight, needle cast fungus, and root rot.

Specific pests may damage various cultivars, so identify and treat promptly.

Best Uses

Junipers have culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses. They can be grown for ground cover, erosion control, specimens, topiary, windbreaks, or bonsai. They are also great for attracting wildlife and xeriscaping.

They hold cultural significance as well. Juniper berries are used in Nordic cooking and gin production.

Junipers are versatile, durable plants ideal for various uses in gardens and landscaping purposes. Whether you intend to grow for ornamental, culinary, or medicinal reasons, juniper shrubs offer a host of benefits.

By understanding the proper care, propagation methods, varieties to choose from, and management of pests and diseases, you can ensure the successful growth and maintenance of these beautiful shrubs in your garden. Junipers are a valuable addition to any landscape, offering year-round beauty and utility that will delight any gardener.