Junipers are evergreen plants that come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. All the way from creeping groundcovers to trees and every size of shrub in between, junipers are unified by their toughness and adaptability in poor growing conditions. Which type of juniper shrubs are best suited to growing in zone 7? Keep reading to learn more about selecting junipers for zone 7.
Growing Juniper Bushes in Zone 7
Junipers are hardy plants that do well in drought conditions. They’ll grow in dry soil that ranges from sand to clay, and they can take a wide range of pH levels. Some are even especially well-suited to salt exposure.
They are also, as a rule, hardy from zone 5 to zone 9. This puts zone 7 right in the middle of the range and zone 7 gardeners in a great position. When growing zone 7 junipers, the question is less one of temperature and more one of other conditions like soil, sun, and desired size.
Best Junipers for Zone 7
Common juniper – The ‘main’ juniper; it grows 10 to 12 feet (3-4 m.) tall and nearly as wide.
Creeping juniper – Low-growing groundcover juniper plants. Different varieties can range from 6 to 36 inches (15-91 cm.) in height with spreads sometimes as big as 8 feet (2 m.) Some popular ones include “Bar Harbor,” “Plumosa,” and “Procumbens.”
Red cedar – Not really a cedar at all, the eastern red cedar (Juniperus viriginiana) is a tree that can range from 8 all the way up to 90 feet (2-27 m.) in height, depending on the variety.
Shore juniper – A low-growing groundcover that tends to top out at 18 inches (46 cm.) high. As its name suggests, shore juniper is very tolerant of salty conditions. Common varieties include “Blue Pacific” and “Emerald Sea.”
Chinese juniper – A large, conical tree. While some varieties reach only 18 inches (46 cm.), others can reach 30 feet (9 m.) or higher. Popular varieties of Chinese juniper include “Blue Point,” “Blue Vase,” and “Pfitzeriana.”