Few plants are so versatile in the landscape as juniper. Since junipers come in so many shapes and sizes, they are used as large groundcovers, erosion control, trailing over rock walls, for foundation plantings, as hedges, windbreaks, or specimen plants. There are juniper varieties that are hardy in almost every U.S. hardiness zone, but this article will primarily discuss zone 8 juniper care.
Care for Zone 8 Juniper Bushes
Juniper plants come in many different sizes and shape for landscape use. Generally, juniper varieties fall in to one of four size categories: low growing groundcovers, medium growing shrubs, tall columnar shrubs, or large shrub-like trees. Junipers also come in many colors, from light to dark green, blue shades, or yellow shades.
Regardless of shape or color, all junipers have the same growing requirements. Zone 8 juniper plants, like any other juniper plants, prefer to grow in full sun but can tolerate part shade. Junipers are very drought tolerant, and this is important for any plants in zone 8. Many varieties of juniper are also salt tolerant. Junipers grow well in tough situations, specifically poor, dry, clay, or sandy soils.
It is because of its tough nature, growing juniper in zone 8 requires very little work. Care for zone 8 junipers generally involves fertilizing with an all-purpose fertilizer once a year and occasionally trimming out dead brown foliage. Do not unnecessarily prune junipers, as cutting into woody areas will not result in new growth.
Also, pay attention to spacing requirements on spreading groundcovers, as they get very wide and can overcrowd or choke themselves out.
Juniper Plants for Zone 8
Below are some of the best varieties of juniper plants for zone 8, by growth habit.
Low Growing Groundcovers
- Sargentii
- Plumosa Compacta
- Wiltonii
- Blue Rug
- Procumbens
- Parsoni
- Shore Juniper
- Blue Pacific
- San Jose
Medium Growing Shrubs
- Blue Star
- Sea Green
- Saybrook Gold
- Nick’s Compact
- Holbert
- Armstrong
- Gold Coast
Columnar Juniper
- Pathfinder
- Gray Gleam
- Spartan
- Hetz Column
- Blue Point
- Robusta Green
- Kaizuka
- Skyrocket
- Wichita Blue
Large Shrubs/Trees
- Gold Tip Pfitzer
- Eastern Red Cedar
- Southern Red Cedar
- Hetzii Glauca
- Blue Pfitzer
- Blue Vase
- Hollywood
- Mint Julep