Digging deeperPlant Library

Blue Chip Juniper

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Blue Chip Juniper foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Description:

A top quality groundcover evergreen for cold climate landscapes, featuring steel blue foliage taking on a hint of purple in winter, attractively arching ground-hugging habit, wide spreading; extremely adaptable and hardy; excellent color accent

Ornamental Features

Blue Chip Juniper is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the garden for its broadly spreading habit of growth. It has attractive blue evergreen foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and turn purple in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Chip Juniper is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Chip Juniper is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Blue Chip Juniper will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. 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.