Juniperus icee blue, the creeping pine that covers the ground

Have you ever heard of Juniperus icee blue? Do you know what kind of plant it is? Don’t worry, today we want to focus on this species of creeping conifer that is little known and yet has a unique characteristic in its foliage.

You want to know more? So Take a look at the guide that we have prepared to get to know the Juniperus icee blue in depth. Will it be one of your plants in the garden?

How is the Juniperus icee blue

A short description of Juniperus icee blue could be that of a creeping conifer that is capable of creating a layer of very dense leaves on the ground. However, in it we do not count the most characteristic of this plant. Its colorful.

If you have never seen it before, you should know that the leaves of this conifer are not the usual green ones, but It has foliage between green and blue, very showy in nature.

In fact, in summer, the foliage is usually a bright blue color but, as the cold makes its appearance, and especially in winter, it changes to a more purple color.

It differs from other conifers in its shape. And it is that, unlike others that grow upwards, the Juniperus icee blue does not, it will always stay about 10-15 centimeters high. But it could extend between 125 and 200 centimeters easily. That is why it is used above all to cover the ground.

Other characteristics that we can tell you about the Juniperus icee blue is that it is resistant to certain animals, tolerant of heat and drought, even salt, and it is evergreen, so if it is well cared for, you will not have any of problem with him.

The life expectancy of this plant is approximately 30 years if it is well cared for. Another aspect that you should take into account is that it grows slowly. Very slow. So don’t expect it to cover everything in no time, because it won’t. However, it must be borne in mind that, although it is a covering plant and for the ground, it does not mean that you can step on it. In fact, we don’t recommend it, especially if you’re barefoot, because it’s very rigid and can hurt, plus you could damage it with the weight applied to it.

However, it can be used decoratively and even to alleviate the effects of pollution (hence why it is sometimes used in cities).

Juniperus icee blue care

You already know a little more about Juniperus icee blue. However, not much is known about it, so we are going to talk about the care that this plant needs.

In general, we will tell you that It is a very easy conifer to grow that should not give you any problems If you satisfy the needs that they have, and that we already told you, they are not many nor are they demanding.

However, it is convenient that you know what you need to thrive properly.

Location

We start with the location of this plant. And we do it by attacking two specific issues:

• On the one hand, the place where you should have it, which must always be abroad. Juniperus icee blue is not a houseplant. In fact, if you have it inside, it will most likely dry up because you don’t give it what it needs. Outside the home you can have it, either in a pot or planted in the ground. In fact, we recommend this second option because it is the most suitable for the plant. If you cannot have it, try to make it a pot that is not too tall (it is better that it is wide than tall) so that the roots can spread easily.
• On the other hand, you should know that This conifer, like many others, needs to be located in full light. No semi-shade or shade. It needs sun, and the more you give it, the better. So try to locate it in areas where it has the most daylight hours possible.

Temperature

With the Juniperus icee blue you will not have any problem related to temperature because it is able to withstand both frost and cold as well as extremely high temperatures.

Regarding frost, you should know that it can withstand up to -20ºC, while being in the sun it can easily tolerate temperatures above 40ºC.

In these cases, you may notice its leaves are a bit burned, but once it adapts well to the temperature, you won’t have any kind of problem in this regard.

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The truth is that this plant is not delicate in terms of the type of soil that you should use. It tolerates any type of soil.

If you have it in a pot, Being slow growing, you will not have to transplant it annually, but it could last you well for about five years. On the ground once you put it you will not have to do anything to it.

Of course, if possible, try to make sure that the soil it has is well drained so that it dries easily.

Irrigation

The irrigation of Juniperus icee blue is not a care that you should take into account. Yes, it needs water, but the truth is that you need very, very little. In fact, it prefers drought to flooding the ground, so keep that in mind. If at any time you go too far with watering, you should know that you are endangering the plant itself because it suffers a lot (it is one of its main problems).

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They are also not very necessary, and you do just fine without them. Note that it is not demanding with the soil. Even so, from time to time it is not bad to add some liquid fertilizer with the irrigation water.

pruning

It is not a plant that requires pruning the branches. Growing so slowly allows it to be “tamed” and give it the shape you want (in the sense that it covers parts that interest you).

Plagues and diseases

The truth is that this conifer does not have many pests or diseases with which it is affected. Actually, they affect it much more when there have been rainy seasons or in humid areas, since it does not tolerate them. When this happens, yes fear worms, aphids, mites and spiders.

Regarding diseases, it can be seriously damaged by root rot or rust.

Usos

Regarding the uses, the truth is that Juniperus icee blue is not a plant that has much to do with medicinal remedies. Actually it is mainly used decoratively as well as protective.

In other words, serves to cover the ground, create rock gardens, to cover the foundations. But also to cover the retaining walls or as a mass to avoid erosion or risks of slopes.

Now that you know more about the Juniperus icee blue, would you dare to have this species in your garden?