
Generally, junipers support hot weather and poor, dry soils. Junipers do not like having their feet in wet mud, but tolerate most other types of soil. When you are growing juniper trees, you’ll need a location with full sun or almost, as well as well-drained soil. Taking the time to select the right spot for your juniper tree can save you time and energy later. Juniper tree care is easier when you pick an appropriate location for planting. chinensis ‘Hetzii’), which grows to 15 feet (4.5 m.) tall. This is also the case with Hetz Chinese juniper ( J. chinensis ‘Pfitzerana’), perhaps the most popular cultivated juniper, grows to 5 feet (1.5 m.) high and 10 feet (3 m.) wide, and is considered a small tree by some, and a shrub by others. occidentalis) always presents as a tall tree, sculpted by the wind.īut sometimes categorizing a juniper as a tree or a shrub is more difficult. For example, California juniper ( Juniperus californica) is considered a low, coastal shrub, because it stays close to the ground, but western juniper ( J. Since shrubs are nothing more than short trees, the line between the two types of plants is always a blurred one. North America boasts 13 native juniper species, and there are four times that number worldwide. Juniper species come in all sizes and shapes, from low-lying shrubs that cover sand dunes to huge ancient trees in the high Sierras.
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If you need a tall, evergreen tree in the sunny spot in your garden, think juniper. If you want to create a hedge of upright evergreen bushes, think juniper. If you are looking for a ground shrub with a flat or a mounded form, think juniper.
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Read on to learn about juniper tree varieties and juniper tree care.


Growing juniper trees or bushes is not difficult. You’ll find junipers that look like ground cover, shrubs, or tall trees. Junipers are evergreen, coniferous plants with scaly leaves, but the height and presentation vary considerably among varieties. Is juniper a tree or bush? It is both, and much more. Because of this, juniper species can play many different roles in the backyard. Plants in the Juniperus genus are termed “juniper” and come in various forms.
