Creeping Juniper

Creeping Juniper (Juniperus taxifolia var. lutchuensis) is a prostrate conifer that holds at about 30cm high while spreading into a mat around 2m wide. It lays dense evergreen cover over banks, wall tops and rockeries, and keeps doing it through salt wind, drought, frost and poor soil. For ground you want permanently covered and rarely thought about, it is a quiet achiever.

Why you'll love it

• Cover that stays down. At about 30cm high it never needs cutting to stay low. The habit is flat by nature, not by maintenance.
• Built for hard positions. Coastal salt, wind, drought, frost and poor soil are all on its tolerance list, which is close to a full house.
• Evergreen texture, no waiting. There is no flowering season to hang on for. The fine foliage is the feature, and it looks the same in July as January.
• Plant it and step back. Low maintenance with non-invasive roots, it is safe alongside retaining walls, steps and paving.

Where it works best

Slopes and retaining walls. Plant 1m apart for full groundcover. On banks it knits the surface together, and along wall tops it spills over the face and softens the hard edge.

Rockeries. It moulds itself around boulders and steps, which is how it grows in the wild and where it looks most natural.

Coastal gardens and mass planting. Front line salt exposure does not worry it, and massed at 1m centres it covers broad areas that would otherwise be a weeding job.

Growing Creeping Juniper in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the densest mat. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates and is fully frost hardy.

Soil. Any free draining ground, including sand and stony fill. Like most junipers it dislikes sitting in permanently wet soil, so keep it out of boggy hollows.

Water and feed. Water through the first summer while the roots run, then leave it to the rain in most districts. Feeding is rarely needed beyond a light slow release fertiliser in spring if growth seems slow.

Pruning. Trim the leading edges where they meet paths or steps. Never cut back into old bare wood, because junipers do not reshoot from it.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Creeping Juniper as tube stock, in 140mm pots as a pack of ten, and in 200mm pots as a pack of six. At the recommended 1m spacing, a pack of ten covers roughly ten square metres, which makes budgeting a bank straightforward. Junipers travel well and transplant calmly at any mild time of year. Orders are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and care for conifers
• Browse the conifer range
• Compare groundcover plants
• Plants for retaining walls and slopes

Common questions

How fast will it cover the ground?

Planted at 1m spacing and watered through the first summer, expect the mat to close over a few growing seasons. It is steady rather than instant, and permanent once there.

Can I cut it back hard if it spreads too far?

No. Trim the green edges as often as you like, but cuts into old bare wood will not regrow. Give it the full 2m spread from the start.

Will it cope right on the coast?

Yes. Salt tolerance is one of its strengths, so it suits exposed front line coastal banks and beach house gardens.

Does it need watering once established?

Rarely. It is drought tolerant after its first year or two, and in most climates rain is enough from then on.