Juniperus Blaauw

Juniperus x media 'Blaauw' is a conifer of modest size with a very unique habit. It has ascending branches that bend at 45°, giving it the appearance of a wide but dense column. Its foliage is a beautiful bluish-green colour. This slow-growing variety is perfect for large slopes, small gardens, or even containers on a terrace. It is particularly suitable for pruning and the art of bonsai. Junipers prefer cool climates, full sun, and well-drained soil, even if it is poor, dry, and chalky.

Juniperus x media 'Blaauw' belongs to a group of quite old hybrids, mainly derived from Juniperus chinensis, the Chinese juniper. It is a very hardy and ornamental variety belonging, like its parents, to the Cupressaceae family.

After a few years, the 'Blaauw' juniper forms a beautiful bush with a fastigiate and open habit, similar to an inverted pyramid, measuring 1.8 m to 2.2 m (5 .9 ft to 7.2 ft) in height with a spread of 1.5 m (4.9 ft). It grows slowly when young, at a rate of 10 cm (3.9 in) in height and 5 cm (2 in) in width per year. Its foliage is made up of small, tightly packed grey-blue scale-like leaves that release an odour when rubbed, which can be perceived as unpleasant. The fruits that form on the female plants are berries called galbulus, which are dark blue and rich in therapeutic properties. Junipers have a shallow root system that makes them vulnerable to strong winds and difficult to associate with perennials.

The 'Blaauw' juniper is a small, hardy, and unique conifer that will be welcomed in the garden for its unusual habit and beautiful bluish-green evergreen foliage. It is perfect everywhere. Its slow growth makes it ideal for solitary planting, on slopes, in large rockeries, or planted in groups of 3 specimens in a bed alongside lower, rounded or bushy conifers. It also grows very well in pots. The structural qualities of conifers naturally shine in a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of forms, silhouettes, and textures over the fleeting appearance of flowers. These plants have a reassuring permanence that provides lasting structure to a flower bed. They can be used to mark pathways and border terraces, easily replacing trimmed boxwood or holly. They also go well with mahonias or untamed grasses with very complementary temperaments. They can also be combined with shade-tolerant, dry-loving perennial plants such as periwinkles, Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea', epimediums, or Trachystemon orientalis. The key is to play with volumes and colours.