Common Juniper

Juniperus communis (Cupressaceae) is the most widely distributed conifer on Earth, occurring across the Northern Hemisphere from subarctic to temperate zones in North America, Europe, and Asia. It is highly variable in form, ranging from prostrate groundcovers to upright shrubs and small trees, typically 5 to 10 feet tall with a 13-foot spread. Unlike most junipers, it bears only awl-shaped needles arranged in whorls of three (never scale leaves), each with a distinctive white stomatal band on the upper surface.

Common juniper thrives in full sun and adapts to very poor, rocky soils with wide pH tolerance. It is drought tolerant and extremely cold hardy. The species is dioecious, producing globose blue-black female cones (about 12 mm) that are the traditional flavoring for gin. Cultivars include 'Compressa' (narrow upright), 'Repanda' (creeping, with Phomopsis resistance), 'Green Carpet' (4 to 6 inch groundcover), and 'Depressa Aurea' (4 feet, golden foliage). Despite its cold hardiness, the species dislikes heat and humidity. Hardy in Zones 2a to 8b.