Culture: Junipers are the most sucessfully moved as container plants or balled-and-burlapped. In fact, most junipers are now grown in containers, especially the ground cover and shrubby types. They perfer open, sunny locations and light, sandy, low or high pH, moderately moist soils but will grow in about any situation. They are very tolerant of dry, clay soils and some types will grow in sand. Theyexhibit good air pollution tolerance and will withstand the dirt and grime of cities as well as any conifer. They have been used as windbreaks with good sucess. Some types(J. chinensis var. sargentii, J. conferta, and cultivars) show good salt tolerance. When junipers are located in heavy shade they become open, thin and ratty. Junipers withstand heavy pruning and for this reason make good hedges. A good rule of thumb is "if you cannot grow junipers, then do not bother planting anything else."

Landscape Value: There is no limit to the use of junipers in landscape situations. They make excellent screens, hedges, windbreaks, groundcovers, foundation plants, rock garden plants, groupings, and specimens. Because of their ease of culture and ubiquitous landscape value they are often overused almost to the point of monotony. Whole foundation plantings are often composed of nothing but junipers. Another problem is that consideration is seldom given to ultimate landscape size and in a few years plants have overgrown their boundaries. Many of the newer, smaller, better-foliaged types should be used in place of the cumbersome J. chinensis 'Pfitzeriana' and 'Hetzii'. Also it is important to consider the degree of shade in which the junipers will be grown. They can become "ratty" looking in a short time period if sited in heavy shade.

Growth Characteristics: It is impossible to stereotype the junipers as to habit because the species vary from low-growing, groundcover types to larger conical to pyramidal trees (J. scopulorum and J. virginiana). Among the species and cultivars are narrow, broad, conical and pyramidal; small and large spreading; globe, slow-and fast-growing ground cover types. Foliage color varies from lustrous dark green to light greem, blue, silver-blue, yellow and shades in between.