Digging deeperPlant Library

Blue Arrow Juniper

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Other Names:  Colorado Redcedar

Description:

An extremely narrow and upright small evergreen tree, with showy powdery blue foliage and blue berries; adaptable to dry soils, but needs full sun; excellent for color, articulation or screening, makes a curious, almost formal tall evergreen hedge

Ornamental Features

Blue Arrow Juniper is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its rigidly columnar form. It has attractive blue evergreen foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain blue throughout the winter. It produces silvery blue berries from late spring to late winter.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Arrow Juniper is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Arrow Juniper is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Blue Arrow Juniper will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.