• Photo of Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest's)

Plant Profile: Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest'

Names

Blue Forest Juniper, Creeping Juniper

  • Photo of Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest's)

Phonetic Spelling:jew-NIP-er-us hor-ih-zon-TAL-iss

Genus:Juniperus

Species:horizontalis

Family:Cupressaceae

This plant exhibits a sprawling, ground-hugging growth habit characterized by its soft-textured, plume-like branches that rise upright and display a blue-green hue. Its horizontal spread makes it an ideal option for sloped areas or for cascading over retaining walls.

The 'Blue Forest' cultivar is a compact, low-growing variety that features ascending branchlets. Its blue leaves transition to deeper shades of blue and purple during the colder months, providing visual interest throughout winter.

For further details on Juniperus horizontalis, please refer to additional resources.

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Feature Summary

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#drought tolerant
#fragrant leaves
#colorful leaves
#winter interest
#deer resistant
#groundcover
#rocky soils tolerant
#erosion tolerant
#shallow soil tolerant

Similar Plants

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Feature Summary

Leaves
The blue-green branch tips turn up. Often grown for its foliage.
Green
Blue
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Ground Cover
Dense
Spreading
Horizontal
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Leaves

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Leaf Description

The blue-green branch tips turn up. Often grown for its foliage.

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Whole Plant Traits

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Cultural Conditions

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Stem

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest' Landscape

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind