El creeping juniper it is a wonderful groundcover plant: its branches, growing horizontally and at ground level, form a wonderful, beautiful green carpet. In addition, it must be said that it is very rustic, withstanding very strong frosts of several degrees below zero.
So that you know well what it is, we tell you what are their characteristics. Thus, it will surely be much easier for you to identify it when you go to a nursery or visit a garden 🙂.
Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode'
Our protagonist, whose scientific name is Juniperus horizontalis, it is an evergreen shrub originally from North America, where it can be found growing for example near the highway. It is known as creeping juniper, horizontal juniper, horizontal juniper, creeping juniper, carpet cedar. Its bearing is creeping, as their common names indicate, and it can occupy an area of up to 6 square meters, although you must bear in mind that its growth rate is quite slow.
Needles (coniferous leaves) they are very short, less than 1cm, green or yellowish-green depending on the variety. Although the plant is always kept with the leaves, from time to time throughout its life we will see that some of them fall off, which is normal and should not worry us. And the fact is that the leaves also have a limited life expectancy; therefore, as their end nears, they wither and fall as new ones sprout.
Creeping juniper can be used for several things: as an isolated specimen or in groups, to cover floors, or even as a bonsai. And if that was not enough, tolerates both direct sun and semi-shade, and it withstands frosts down to -15ºC very well, which is why it is a very popular plant to decorate any type of garden.
What did you think of this plant? Pretty, right?