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Hedgehog Juniper

Juniperus communis (jew-NIP-er-us KOM-yoo-nis)

Family: Cupressaceae Unknown Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

Hedgehog juniper , or 'Echiniformis' is a cultivar in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family was introduced by S.J. Rinz nursery in Frankfurt Germany in the late 1880's. This dwarf specimen is a rounded Chinese juniper in the cypress family with a dense, short branching pattern. This slow-growing plant has a bluish-green color with needle-like juvenile foliage and grows 16 inches high and 16 inches wide. Grow this plant in full sun in average, well-drained garden soil. It is drought tolerant and prefers being on the dry side. Use in a rock garden, planted in small groups near a patio, along a slope, in a container, or as a border front. It is commonly used in bonsai or as part of an Asian themed garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Insects that may damage this juniper include bagworms, webworms, and scale. Blight and rust issues are common on junipers The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests. More information on Juniperus communis var. communis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 44 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana Lutea' Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' Rhododendron impeditum
Native alternatives Carex cherokeensis

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 4 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 4 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Mounding; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Short needle-like juvenile blue-green foliage.
Flower detail
No flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits, cones.
Stem detail
Very short, dense branches.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Germany
Play value
Defines Paths
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Patio; Slope/Bank; Small Space
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Fairy Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Small groups
Garden tags
#hardy #rock garden #slow growing #drought tolerant #groundcover #bonsai #shrub #blue green needles #deer resistant #full sun tolerant #container plant #low growing #dense growth #dwarf #self-fertile #border front #Asian garden #needled evergreen #slopes #patio #prickles #poor soil tolerant #small groups #fairy garden
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Juniper Webworm; Pests of Conifers; Juniper Pest Management Calendar; Juniper Scale Insect; Juniper Tip Dwarf Mite
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Dry Soil

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.