Juniperus

The juniper genus and its more than 60 species are found all over the northern hemisphere from the polar regions to the mountains of the tropics. The picturesque junipers impress again and again with their striking habits and great potential for topiary forms. Usually, they are shrubs with several stems or trees up to 10 m tall. The evergreen leaves are either like needles or scales; some specimens even have both types at once. Scaly varieties emit a pungent aromatic smell in strong sunlight or after rain. Needle varieties develop a weaker smell.

The monoecious or even dioecious flowers always remain inconspicuous while the fleshy berry cones are very attractive with their usually grey or blue colours, especially when many of them are on the twigs. Except for the indigenous Juniperus communis, the berries of the other varieties are slightly to very poisonous.

All juniper varieties need sunlight; they do not like it when they are left in the shade or cramped by larger plants. They then lose their characteristic habit and their extraordinary needle and scale colours.

Juniperus - Overview

A. Habit

Small tree

J. chinensis 'Keteleeri'

J. virginiana 'Canaertii'

J. virginiana 'Glauca'

Large shrub

J. chinensis 'Blue Alps'

J. communis 'Hibernica'

J. communis 'Meyer'

J. communis 'Suecica'

J. media 'Hetzii'

J. media 'Pfitzeriana'

J. scopulorum 'Blue Arrow'

J. scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

J. squamata 'Meyeri'

J. virginiana 'Canaertii'

J. virginiana 'Glauca'

Medium sized trees

J. chinensis 'Plumosa Aurea'

J. chinensis 'Spartan'

J. media 'Mint Julep'

J. media 'Old Gold'

J. media 'Pfitzeriana Aurea'

J. virginiana 'Grey Owl'

Small shrubs

J. communis 'Hornibrookii'

J. communis 'Repanda'

J. sabina 'Femina'

J. sabina 'Mas'

J. sabina 'Rockery Gem'

J. sabina 'Tamariscifolia'

J. squamata 'Blue Star'

Dwarf shrubs

J. horizontalis 'Wiltonii'

J. sabina 'Rockery Gem'

J. squamata 'Blue Carpet'

B. Form

Columnar habit

J. chinensis 'Keteleeri'

J. chinensis 'Spartan'

J. communis 'Hibernica'

J. communis 'Meyer'

J. communis 'Suecica'

J. scopulorum 'Blue Arrow'

J. scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

J. virginiana 'Glauca'

Loosely conical to broadly upright

J. squamata 'Meyeri'

J. virginiana 'Canaertii'

J. virginiana 'Glauca'

Asymmetrically broad

J. media 'Hetzii'

J. media 'Mint Julep'

J. media 'Old Gold'

J. media 'Pfitzeriana'

J. media 'Pfitzeriana Aurea'

J. sabina 'Tamariscifolia'

J. squamata 'Meyeri'

Cushionform

J. horizontalis 'Andorra Compact'

J. squamata 'Blue Star'

Prostrate

J. communis 'Hornibrookii'

J. communis 'Repanda'

J. horizontalis 'Andorra Compact'

J. horizontalis 'Prince of Wales'

J. horizontalis 'Wiltonii'

J. sabina 'Rockery Gem'

J. sabina 'Tamariscifolia'

J. squamata 'Blue Carpet'

C. Attractive needles

Dark green

J. chinensis 'Keteleeri'

J. chinensis 'Spartan'

J. communis 'Hornibrookii'

J. communis 'Meyer'

J. communis 'Repanda'

J. horizontalis 'Prince of Wales'

J. media 'Mint Julep'

J. media 'Pfitzeriana'

J. sabina 'Femina'

J. sabina 'Mas'

J. sabina 'Tamariscifolia'

J. virginiana 'Canaertii'

Grey-blue to blue-green

J. media 'Blaauw

J. chinensis 'Blue Alps'

J. communis 'Hibernica'

J. communis 'Suecica'

J. horizontalis 'Andorra Compact'

J. horizontalis 'Wiltonii'

J. media 'Hetzii'

J. sabina 'Rockery Gem'

J. sabina 'Tamariscifolia'

J. scopulorum 'Blue Arrow'

J. scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

J. squamata 'Meyeri'

J. virginiana 'Glauca'

J. virginiana 'Grey Owl'

Yellow to yellow-green needeles

J. chinensis 'Plumosa Aurea'

J. media 'Old Gold'

J. media 'Pfitzeriana Aurea'

D. Heavily fruiting (poisonous

J. chinensis 'Keteleeri'

J. horizontalis 'Wiltonii'

J. media 'Hetzii'

J. sabina 'Femina'

J. virginiana 'Canaertii'

J. 'Old Gold'