Juniper ‘Grey Owl’ | Plant Profile

Juniper ‘Grey Owl’ (Juniperus virginiana) are dense evergreen conifers with horizontal branches. The scale-like needles appear ashy-blue and the bark can be quite aromatic. ‘Grey Owl’ is a slow growing cultivar that reaches only to 3′. The horizontal branches grow up to 6′, making the shrub twice as wide as is it tall. The shrub produces berry-like cones that are attractive to birds.

Juniper ‘Grey Owl’ are hardy shrubs that can tolerate a wide array of soils. Ideally, soils should be dry to moist in full sun, but they are tolerant of many conditions. While they can tolerate temporarily wet soils, good drainage is preferable. These species is also tolerant of drought.

These conifers can somewhat mimic groundcovers with their long spreading arms. Because of their tolerance to many soils types, hillsides and other tough to grow locations should be a viable option.