Golden Acre Home & Garden Centre's Plant Library

Description:

A compact, low growing evergreen shrub with sharp bright green needles streaked with interesting silvery blue lines, holds color in winter; extremely adaptable to poor soils and dry locations, very hardy; makes an excellent groundcover

Ornamental Features

Effusa Juniper is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the garden for its broadly spreading habit of growth. It has attractive emerald green foliage with silver stripes. The needles are highly ornamental and remain emerald green throughout the winter. It produces blue berries from late spring to late winter.

Landscape Attributes

Effusa Juniper is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Effusa Juniper is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover

Planting & Growing

Effusa Juniper will grow to be about 12 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.