Description:

Graceful weeping branches are covered with sharp green needles; this tree is almost shaggy looking and appears almost to be covered with fur rather than needles;makes an eye-catching accent

Ornamental Features

Prickly Juniper is primarily valued in the landscape for its highly ornamental weeping form. It has attractive emerald green evergreen foliage. The needles are highly ornamental and remain emerald green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Prickly Juniper is an evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prickly Juniper is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Prickly Juniper will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.