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Blue Pacific Juniper

Juniperus conferta (jew-NIP-er-us kon-FER-tah BLEW pah-SIF-ik)

Family: Cupressaceae Unknown Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

'Blue Pacific' is a cultivar of the j. conferta juniper. It is a low growing, trailing, spreading, needled evergreen shrub that matures to a height of about 2 feet high. 'Blue Pacific' is a dwarf selection of Shore juniper with soft feathery Blue-green foliage with gray berries. After 10 years, a mature specimen will measure 1 to 1.5 feet tall and 6 feet wide with an annual growth rate of 6 to 8 inches, significantly more outward than up. This cultivar was introduced to the nursery trade in 1972 by Monrovia Nursery, inc. California, USA. Note that it is sometimes incorrectly listed under the cultivar name, 'Blue Shore'. This plant prefers full sun and tolerates drought, shade, sandy soils, and salt. This plant is good in rock gardens, as ground cover, for mass plantings, and for erosion control. It is intolerant of wet soil and has a slow growth rate. It will grow in a range of soil types provided they are well-drained. ‘Blue Pacific’ is noted for its blue foliage color, its ground cover form, the denser foliage along the branches and resistance to winter injury. Quick ID Hints: Plant is a low trailing, evergreen shrub. Has awl-shaped leaves that are crowded, whorled in threes, and are less than an inch long. Upperside of leaves have white glaucous bands and a deep groove. Has yellowish-green stems. Produces female cones that are berry-like, globular with a flat base, and are bluish to bluish-black in color. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has no serious pest or disease problems and is seldom damaged by deer. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests. More information on Juniperus conferta .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 47 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
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 Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltonii' Juniperus procumbens 'Nana' x Heucherella

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Very Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Horizontal; Spreading
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf feel
Prickly; Soft
Leaf value
Fragrant; Showy
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are awl-shaped, crowded, whorled in threes, and are less than 1 inch long and 1/16 of an inch wide. They are ocean blue-green in color, are soft to slightly prickly to touch, are non-decurrent, and are compact spaces. The upper sides of leaves have white glaucous bands and a deep groove. Grown for the foliage.
Flower detail
Conifers do not have flowers.
Fruit color
Black; Blue
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Produces female cones that are berry-like, globular with flat base, 1/3 to 1/2 of an inch in size, and are bluish to bluish-black in color.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Stems are yellowish-green in color. Primary stem lays along the ground with erect lateral branches bearing spreading secondary branches.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Attracts
Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Berry
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Slope/Bank
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Fairy Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Foundation Planting; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#salt tolerant #evergreen #deer resistant #yellow stems #yellow-green #fantz #rock garden #slow growing #drought tolerant #easy to transplant #disease resistant #globular #erosion control #mass planting #pest resistant #sandy soils tolerant #groundcover #cpp #blue leaves #fairy garden
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Pests of Conifers
Resistant to
Deer; Diseases; Drought; Insect Pests; Salt

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.