Do you love the fine texture of ornamental grasses but hate the bare space you’re stuck with when they’ve been cut back in the spring? Do you have a dry, sunny spot that could use a hit of cool blue color? Are you looking for a small-scale evergreen that’s different? Look no farther — it's bluestem joint fir to the rescue! Jocelyn H. Chilvers Botanical name: Ephedra equisetina
Common name: Bluestem joint fir
USDA zones: 4b to 9 (find your zone)
Elevation range: Up to 7,000 feet
Water requirement: Moderate to very dry once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 8 feet wide
Benefits and tolerances: Evergreen, chalk-blue color; fine texture; tolerant of full sun, drought and alkaline soils
When to plant: April through July
Seasonal interest: Colorful year-round; female plants have red, berry-like fruit in midsummer. Jocelyn H. Chilvers Distinguishing traits. Leafless blue-gray stems create a dense, erect form that holds its color through four seasons. Jocelyn H. Chilvers Jocelyn H. Chilvers How to use it. Although bluestem joint fir has a fine texture, it is quite dense and makes a great screen or backdrop when planted en masse. Its unique character also makes it a terrific accent plant; use it as a focal point with low shrubs or perennial flowers.

Companion plants in a moderately dry garden might include ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum (Sedum spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’), sea lavender (Limonium latifolium), common hollyhock (Alcea rosea) and tickseed (Coreopsis spp). Jocelyn H. Chilvers Planting notes. Native growing conditions of bluestem joint fir are the dry and rocky regions of central Asia, Inner Mongolia and northern China. Bluestem joint fir adapts well to garden loam, clay or sandy soils but will not tolerate those that are wet or poorly draining.