'Silver Mist' is a cultivar of J. confert a. 'Silver Mist' is a dwarf shore variety with a prostrate form. It is slow growing with bright blue foliage and a silver stripe on each wide needle making it a very attractive ground cover. It will gain 1 to 6 inches in height per year, maturing at 2 feet high after 10 years with a 3 foot spread. It is more shade tolerant than most junipers as well as tolerating salt spray. This plant is seldom damaged by deer. 'Silver Mist' grows best in well-drained soil, but does well in heavy clay with moderate drainage. It is tolerant of many conditions, especially poor and sandy soils, but not soggy soils. It can be pruned to controon plant.l growth in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Use as a ground cover, in drought-tolerant or rock gardens. It can be used in coastal gardens and as a foundation plant. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. See the "Pests of Conifers" fact sheet to the left. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests. More information on Juniperus conferta .
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 nicheBuddleja Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip Jr.'Ceratostigma plumbaginoidesJuniperus procumbens 'Nana'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; 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 | Moist
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Horizontal; Mounding; Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Blue; Gray/Silver; Green; Purple/Lavender
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
New growth is silvery-blue-green. Ages to blue-green. Needles are prickly with broad white, stomatal bands. Coppery purple tinge in winter, Needles are covered with a heavy waxy bloom.