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Variegated creeping juniper

Juniperus conferta (ju-NIP-er-us kon-FER-tah vair-ee-ah-GAY-ta)

Family: Cupressacae Unknown Groundcover

'Veriegata' is a cultivar of J. conferta. ' Veriegata ' is a vigorous, low growing, needled dwarf evergreen that, at maturity, will reach about 1 foot in height with a spread of up to 6 feet. It is slow growing, but will make an attractive ground cover. The foliage is a mix of green and yellow to creamy white variegated needles. The female will produce cones that ripen in the fall and will last through the winter. Along with the cones, the plant will turn a purple/dark green in the winter, adding winter interest to your garden or as an accent for rock gardens or borders or draped over walls 'Veriegata' does best in full sun and tolerates a range of soil types provided they are well-drained. It is adaptable to dry and moist growing conditions, but not standing water. It is drought-tolerant and not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and thrives in inner-city environments. The plant is low-maintenance and will tolerate pruning. Use as a ground cover, in a drought tolerant 0r rock garden or mass-planted on slopes. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. See the "Pests of Conifers" fact sheet to the left. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests. More information on Juniperus conferta .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 40 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 5 - Groundcover Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Juniperus conferta
Fills a similar niche Cedrus deodara 'Devinely Blue' Ilex vomitoria 'Taylor' s Rudolph' Strobilanthes auriculata var. dyeriana

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Horizontal; Multi-stemmed; Prostrate
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Yellow-splashed foliage interspersed with bluish-green needles. It is grown for its foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage turn plum purple in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.
Flower detail
Conifers do not produce flowers.
Fruit color
Blue
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Long-lasting
Fruit detail
Blue berries from late spring to late winter.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer; Winter
Fruit type
Berry
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Patio; Slope/Bank; Walkways
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Accent; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#evergreen #deer resistant #groundcover #winter interest #shrub #dwarf #variegated #multistemmed #dense growth
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Pests of Conifers
Resistant to
Deer; Drought

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.