Rocky Mountain Juniper

Juniperus scopulorum (Cupressaceae) is a native conifer ranging from Alberta and British Columbia south through the Rocky Mountain states to Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. It is the most widespread juniper in the New World. Trees reach 30 to 50 feet tall with a 6- to 8-foot spread, forming a narrow pyramidal crown when young that becomes rounded or irregular with age, sometimes with multiple main stems. Scale-like leaves are tightly appressed in dark or light bluish-green tones, with flaky light brown bark.

Rocky Mountain juniper thrives in full sun on well-drained soils across a broad pH range (5.0 to 8.5). It is drought tolerant, slow growing, and long lived. Cultivars are the primary landscape forms: 'Blue Arrow' (12 to 15 feet, narrow columnar), 'Wichita Blue' (18 feet, pyramidal), 'Gray Gleam' (15 to 20 feet), 'Skyrocket', 'Moonglow', 'Medora' (10 to 15 feet), and the groundcover 'Blue Creeper' (2 feet). Disease and pest susceptibility is typical of the genus; 'Glauca' shows some Phomopsis resistance, while 'Wichita Blue' is particularly susceptible. Hardy in Zones 3a to 8b.