Juniperus horizontalis – Creeping Juniper ‘Maxton Hugger’

General Information: Easy to grow, low maintenance, and handles the harshest climates. The lovely green to blue-green needle-like foliage develops a purple tinge in winter. Our current offering, the cultivar ‘Brockway Beauty’, hugs the ground and stays evergreen year-round. An effective ground cover with all-season appeal. ‘Brockway Beauty’ originates on Brockway Mountain on the Keweenaw County Fault near Copper Harbor, Michigan, growing above Lake Superior at 720 feet elevation. The greenery from these plants can be harvested to make lovely seasonal decorations.

Cultivation Details: Juniperus horizontalis (Creeping Juniper) grows to 18 inches tall and at maturity can spread to 10 feet in diameter. This species is dioecious, meaning both male and female plants must be grown to produce fruit. We offer unsexed plants. Fruits are not often desired from this species. Creeping Juniper is drought-tolerant once established. An excellent choice for  Note: This plant is a host to the Cedar Apple Rust a.k.a. Juniper Apple Rust fungus (Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae). This fungus can cause serious damage to Pomaceous fruit trees such as Apples (Malus spp), Hawthorns (Crataegus spp) and Juneberries (Amelanchier spp). It is recommended that these plants and Junipers be separated from one another by at least a few hundred yards, with the Junipers being down wind.

Growing Requirements: Performs best in full sun. Becomes scraggly in partial sun. Prefers well-drained, moist soils. Suitable for mildly acidic and neutral soils, may tolerate mildly alkaline soils. Uniquely tolerant of salty soils.