All Gold Juniper

All Gold Juniper (Juniperus conferta 'All Gold') is a spreading conifer groundcover that stays under 300mm tall and runs out to about 1.8m across. It is a shore juniper selection, so the golden new growth comes with genuine toughness. Plant it 1m apart on a bank or a rockery and it knits into a low gold carpet.

Why you'll love it

• Gold that holds through the year. New growth comes away bright golden and older foliage settles to a soft lime, so it reads light against grey stone.
• Bred for the hard spots. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, salt tolerant, wind tolerant and happy in poor soil, which rules out very few sites.
• Close to zero maintenance. No pruning schedule, no staking, no deadheading. Once it is established the job is done.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 1m apart for a dense cover. At that spacing the plants meet in about two seasons and shade out most weed germination underneath.

Retaining walls and slopes. Branches trail forwards, so plants set along the top of a wall spill over the face. On a bank the spreading habit holds loose soil in place.

Rockeries and coastal gardens. Gold foliage against rock or gravel is the classic use, and salt tolerance makes it safe for a front garden near the beach.

Growing All Gold Juniper in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always. In shade the gold turns a dull green and the plant opens up in the middle. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it is fully frost hardy. Humid tropical and subtropical gardens are not its climate.

Soil. Free draining is the only real requirement, and sandy or gravelly ground suits it. On heavy clay, raise the bed and work coarse material through, because junipers will not sit in wet soil.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A light application of slow release fertiliser in early spring is plenty, and rich feeding only produces soft growth.

Pruning. Almost none. Trim wayward stems back to a side branch in late winter. Bare inner wood will not reshoot, so keep every cut in green growth.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tube stock, in 140mm pots in packs of ten, and in 200mm pots in packs of six. Tubes are the value option for a large bank if you can wait a season or two, while the 140mm and 200mm plants are already branching and spread in their first summer.

Junipers travel well, and some foliage flattening in the box is normal rather than a fault. Growth is slow to moderate, so plan on two to three seasons for a solid cover at 1m spacing. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our notes on growing and maintaining conifers.
• Browse the full conifer range.
• Compare low maintenance groundcovers.
• See the best trailing plants for a retaining wall.

Common questions

How many do I need per square metre?

At 1m spacing that is one plant per square metre. Tighten to 800mm for cover a season sooner, or stretch to 1.2m if you are happy to wait.

How far from a path or driveway should I plant it?

One plant runs to about 1.8m across, so allow roughly 900mm from the centre of the plant to any paving you want kept clear. Planting closer is only worth doing where you want the foliage to spill over an edge on purpose. A stem that overruns can be shortened in late winter, keeping the cut in green growth.

Is it prickly to walk on?

The foliage is fine but sharp enough to notice on bare legs, so it is a plant to look at rather than a lawn substitute. Keep it out of paths and play areas.