Hollinshead Water-wise Garden Plants

Back to Search

Photo:

Kathy Ketchum

Blue Star Juniper

Singleseed Juniper

Latin Name:

Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'

Attractive sparkling blue foliage on dense, spreading branches. Creates a colorful contrast to purple and green foliage plants. Use in a rock garden or as a low border plant. Ideal for mass plantings in minimal-care landscapes. Evergreen.

Taxon ID#

49 MAINTENANCE

Maintenance Level:

Low

Min. USDA Hardiness Zone:

4 Sun Preference:

Full Sun

Water Preference:

VL

Soil Preference:

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Adapts to a wide range of soils, including dry soil. Performs well in dryish, sandy soils with good drainage

Fertilizer Needs:

Recommended Mulch:

Family:

Cupressaceae

Origins:

Plant Type:

Med - Lg Shrub (usually >3' and never < 1.5')

It is native to mountainous areas from Afghanistan to China and Taiwan.

Oregon native:

no

Western state native:

no

PLANT DESCRIPTION

Foliage Color:

Other

Foliage Description:

Silver-blue leaves awl-shaped, 6-10 mm long, over-lapping, densely arranged, in whorls of 3, steel-blue, conspicuous white stripe.

Fragrant:

no

Predominant flower color:

No Flower

Flower Description:

Fall color:

no

Fall Color Description:

Winter Foliage:

Evergreen

Winter Interest:

yes

Winter Interest Description:

This icy-blue evergreen is a good contrast to other evergreens. Needles may have a bronze or purple cast during cold months

Mature height:

3-5'

Mature spread:

3-5'

Growth rate:

Slow

LANDSCAPE APPLICATION

Deer Resistant:

yes

Fire Resistant:

yes

Attracts Pollinators:

no

Attracts Butterflies:

no

Native Habitat:

Species native to Afghanistan, Himalayas, western China. ?Blue Star? originated as a witches' broom on ?Meyeri? in Holland, introduced in 1964.

Attracts Birds:

yes

Cut/Dried Flowers:

no

Photo:

Used by Wildlife:

no

Hedge/Screen:

no

Swales:

no

Wildlife Use:

Border:

yes

Erosion Control:

yes

Windbreak:

no

Cover Structures:

no

Ground Cover:

yes

Provides Shade:

no

Rock Garden:

yes

Adds Texture/Movement:

no

First Bloom:

Last Bloom:

Ornamental Accent:

yes

Garden Observations:

Got overly dry after transplantation; watch

SEASONAL CARE

Spring Care:

Prune in spring before new grown starts When pruning, only cut into healthy wood, trimming back to a branch that is pointing in the direction you want the shrub to grow. You may need to thin "Blue Star," which is a densely growing plant.

Maintenanc

Summer Care:

Fall Care:

Winter Care:

Long Term Care:

Insect Pests:

Occasional insect pests include aphids, bagworms, twig borers, webworms and scale. Watch for spider mites.

Wildlife Pests:

Diseases:

Root rot may occur, particularly in wet, poorly drained soils.

Junipers are generally susceptible to blights (dieback of stem tips), particularly in unusually rainy/wet springs. Phomopsis twig blight is of particular concern. Cedar-apple and related ru

Environmental Problems:

Landscape Problems:

No serious problems

Care Comments:

Foliage may discolor in winter.

RESOURCES

OSU Landscape Profile:

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/juniperus-squamata-blue-star

USDA Plants:

https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=JUSQ2

Calscape Database:

LBJ Native Plant Database:

Missouri Botanical Garden Database:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=k780

Hollinshead Water-wise Garden Plants

Photo:

Kathy Ketchum

Blue Star Juniper

Singleseed Juniper

​

Latin Name:

Taxon ID#

49

MAINTENANCE

Low

Min. USDA Hardiness Zone:

4

Sun Preference:

Full Sun

Water Preference:

VL

Soil Preference:

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Adapts to a wide range of soils, including dry soil. Performs well in dryish, sandy soils with good drainage

Fertilizer Needs:

​

Recommended Mulch:

​

Family:

Origins:

Plant Type:

Med - Lg Shrub (usually >3' and never < 1.5')

It is native to mountainous areas from Afghanistan to China and Taiwan.

Oregon native:

no

Western state native:

no

PLANT DESCRIPTION

Foliage Color:

Other

Foliage Description:

Silver-blue leaves awl-shaped, 6-10 mm long, over-lapping, densely arranged, in whorls of 3, steel-blue, conspicuous white stripe.

Fragrant:

no

Predominant flower color:

No Flower

Flower Description:

​

Fall color:

no

Fall Color Description:

​

Winter Foliage:

Evergreen

Winter Interest:

yes

Winter Interest Description:

This icy-blue evergreen is a good contrast to other evergreens. Needles may have a bronze or purple cast during cold months

Mature height:

3-5'

Mature spread:

3-5'

Growth rate:

Slow

LANDSCAPE APPLICATION

Deer Resistant:

yes

Fire Resistant:

yes

Attracts Pollinators:

no

Attracts Butterflies:

no

Native Habitat:

Species native to Afghanistan, Himalayas, western China. ?Blue Star? originated as a witches' broom on ?Meyeri? in Holland, introduced in 1964.

Attracts Birds:

yes

Cut/Dried Flowers:

no

Photo:

​

Used by Wildlife:

no

Hedge/Screen:

no

Prune in spring before new grown starts When pruning, only cut into healthy wood, trimming back to a branch that is pointing in the direction you want the shrub to grow. You may need to thin "Blue Star," which is a densely growing plant.

Maintenanc

Root rot may occur, particularly in wet, poorly drained soils.

Junipers are generally susceptible to blights (dieback of stem tips), particularly in unusually rainy/wet springs. Phomopsis twig blight is of particular concern. Cedar-apple and related ru