Plant field guide
Juniper (Blue Star)
One of the most beautifully colored low shrubs available — intensely silver-blue prickly foliage forms a neat mounding shape. Outstanding four-season color contrast in the landscape.
Growing requirements
- Scientific name
- Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'
- Sun
- full sun
- Water
- low
- Height
- 24 in (61 cm) – 36 in (91 cm)
- Spread
- 36 in (91 cm) – 48 in (122 cm)
- Spacing
- 36 in (91 cm)
- Hardiness zones & minimum temperature
- USDA 4–8; average annual extreme minimum from -30°F (-34.4°C). Hardiness does not predict local frost dates.
- Difficulty
- easy
Planting & seasonal timing
Northern Hemisphere planting months: not yet verified in our database.
Northern Hemisphere pruning months: no calendar months recorded.
For the Southern Hemisphere, these seasonal windows shift approximately six months. Check your local frost forecast, soil temperature, and species requirements; calendar months are not a guarantee of planting safety.
Virtually no maintenance once established. Excellent in rock gardens, as a specimen, or mass-planted for groundcover effect. Deer resistant. Extremely drought tolerant once established.
Pruning
No regular pruning needed. Remove any dead or damaged branches in early spring.
Fertilizer
None needed for established plants
Optional light fertilizer in spring for young plants
Mulch
3–4 inches bark mulch — avoid covering the crown.