Blue Pacific Juniper

Size

Blue Pacific Juniper covers difficult sunny ground with dense blue-green evergreen foliage that stays low and wide. Juniperus conferta 'Blue Pacific' grows only about 1 foot tall while spreading 5 to 7 feet, making it a practical choice for slopes, banks, and open spaces that need year-round cover. The awl-shaped needles have a coastal blue cast and a slightly aromatic quality when brushed. We use it where mowing is awkward, especially on sunny grades or along retaining walls where the branches can trail naturally. This shore juniper selection comes from a species native to sandy coastal areas of Japan and Sakhalin Island. It is valued for better blue foliage color, dense coverage, and a ground-hugging form that handles heat, drought, salt, deer, rabbits, and urban conditions once established. Blue Pacific Juniper may produce small bluish-black, berry-like cones that birds can use as a food source. Plant it as a groundcover, erosion-control shrub, rock garden accent, coastal planting, driveway edge, or container spiller for large outdoor pots. Blue Pacific Juniper Care Plant Blue Pacific Juniper in full sun for the densest growth and best foliage color. It adapts to sandy, loamy, clay, rocky, acidic, neutral, or alkaline soil as long as drainage is excellent. Avoid low spots where water sits after rain, since wet roots can lead to decline. Water deeply during the first growing season whenever the top 2 inches of soil dry. Established plants are drought tolerant and usually need extra water only during extended hot, dry periods. Fertilize in early spring with a slow-release evergreen fertilizer if growth is sparse or soil is very lean. Keep a light mulch layer around new plantings to limit weeds, leaving open space around the crown and lower branches for airflow. Prune Blue Pacific Juniper lightly in late winter or early spring before new growth starts. Remove dead stems and thin crowded areas, cutting back to side branches that still have green needles. Heavy shearing into bare interior wood is not recommended, because junipers may not fill back in from old, leafless stems. Blue Pacific Juniper Spacing Space Blue Pacific Juniper 5 feet apart for groundcover plantings, or 3 to 4 feet apart when quicker coverage is preferred. Give single specimens enough room to spread across a bank, wall edge, or open bed without frequent trimming. For containers, use a wide pot at least 18 inches across with drainage holes and a coarse, well-drained potting mix. In full-sun beds with sharp drainage, pair Blue Pacific Juniper with barberry, Russian sage, catmint, and yarrow, which all share juniper's drought tolerance. Roses can rise behind the low evergreen mat, adding flowers while the juniper keeps the foreground covered.