Juniper Shrubs: Varieties, Pruning & Landscape Uses

Junipers (Juniperus spp.) are rugged, versatile conifers ranging from ground-hugging carpets to towering trees. Drought-resistant, pest-resistant, and adaptable to most soils, they're landscape staples for hedges, screens, groundcovers, and specimens. Some produce berries used in cooking and gin.

Popular Varieties (30+)

Alligator, Ashe, Bermuda, Blanco's, Blue Chip, Blue Pacific Shore, Blue Point, Blue Rug, Blue Star, Blue Weeping, Broadmoor, Buffalo, California, Coahuila, Comitán, Creeping, Durango, Eastern, Gamboa, Gold Coast, Gold Lace, Hollywood, Jalisco, Mexican Weeping, Mountain, One-seed, Pinchot, Rocky Mountain, Saltillo, Sierra, Southern, Spartan, Spiral, Utah, West Indies, Western, Wichita Blue.

Pruning Guidelines

• Timing: Late winter to early spring (before new growth; avoids cutting flower buds on flowering types).
• Technique: Remove dead/diseased/broken branches (max 5–6 at once).
• Shape: Trim odd/intertwining branches to base. Keep top narrower than base for light penetration.
• Critical rule: Cut only green growth. Woody stems rarely resprout.
• Protection: Monitor for pests after pruning.

Design Ideas

• Mix upright and spreading types for texture contrast.
• Combine with other evergreens (boxwood, holly, yew).
• Shear into formal shapes (spirals, pom-poms, tiers).
• Use creeping junipers for erosion control on slopes.

Low care, high reliability. A juniper for every garden niche.