by Ray Fauteux

Created on: May 22, 2009   Last Updated: July 25, 2009

There's no doubt that lush green lawns certainly have their place as a foot-friendly surface for kids to play on and as a cool, natural carpet for those big family barbecues, but choosing alternative plants as ground covers can be ideal for those difficult to mow spots or areas that are constantly in the shade. There are many varieties for gardeners to choose from, but the Blue Juniper stands out because of it's ability to do well in so many different growing environments.

The Blue Rug Juniper is a hardy, colorful plant that is able to tolerate intense heat, salt air, and extremely dry conditions. The Juniper does especially well in well-drained soil and the colorful blue foliage tends to be more intense if the soil is sandy rather than course. This amazing hardy evergreen plant will even do well in sub-zero Winter temperatures. The dense plant is only 4-10 inches tall at full maturity and as a result will never really require any trimming or cutting.The Blue Juniper is also the perfect ground cover for rock gardens or on steep banks where it will help prevent erosion of the soil.

The ideal spacing at the time of planting is between three and four feet as the spread of the Blue Juniper at maturity is between six and eight feet. This will allow for over-lapping and will result in a beautiful ground cover that is silver-blue in the Spring and Summer, and light purple in the Winter. It helps to retain the moisture in the soil if a mulch cover is incorporated at planting. Copious amounts of Peat Moss or dehydrated cattle manure mixed into the soil will also help ensure the Blue Juniper will develop into a vibrant, healthy ground cover. The Juniper requires little upkeep once it has reached maturity, but sprinkling a bit of lime each Spring would be beneficial.

As far as propagation, it's just a matter of removing ripe cuttings through the Fall and Winter months and rooting them in cold frames that are kept humid. Another option is to remove soft-wood cuttings in the Summer and maintain them under misty conditions with bottom heat to stimulate growth. The Blue Juniper is a hearty plant, but on occasion problems with aphids, mites, caterpillars, or beetles can develop, but are easily managed.

The fact that the Blue Rug Juniper is an evergreen means that it will provide an extremely functional and colorful ground cover that will enhance a landscape through-out the entire year with a minimum of maintenance.

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