Upright Junipers

Upright junipers are easy to grow and are one of the toughest plants available for your landscape. They have a slender form, growing much taller than they do wide. This shape makes them great utility pieces that can be used as windbreaks, hedges, privacy fences and screens. They are a perfect fit for narrow spaces or along fences and walls. Fair or not, spreading juniper varieties sometimes receive a bad rap for being a blight in the landscape. In contrast the tall and slender form of the upright juniper varieties make them a grand focal point in your landscape and sure to turn heads. 

Their dense evergreen foliage provides much needed color in the fall and winter months while complimenting the colors and textures of nearby plants throughout the spring and summer. The foliage of upright junipers is typically either prickly or scale-like and usually comes in varying shades of blue and green. Upright junipers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from pear-shaped to columnar, with the common feature of growing taller than they are wide.

Upright junipers are easy to grow and have just a few basic needs. They all do well in full sun with a few varieties tolerating light shade as well.  They are tolerant of most well-drained soils and display excellent drought tolerance once they are well-established with a good root system. They are hardy in extreme winter conditions and also offer resistance to deer.

Fort Collins Nursery has more than a dozen varieties of upright junipers to choose from with options in color, size, and shape.

Originally published on June 2nd, 2022.