Juniperus communis
Growing Information
• Plant Type: Shrub
• Sunlight: Sun
• Soils: Dry
• Bloom Time: Non-showy yellow flowers in spring
• Size: 3-5 feet in height and 5-8 foot spread
This low-growing shrub is able to grow in a variety of conditions, having the widest worldwide native range of any conifer. Although it may become a small tree in other parts of the world, on the Cape it is commonly seen as a small, creeping shrub. The juniper “berries” that this plant features, known for flavoring gin and as a common seasoning, are actually seed cones, resembling a tiny version of a typical conifer cone.
Garden Companions
Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus)
Nature Benefits
• Provides dense winter cover for birds and small mammals
• Cones act as a food source for a variety of birds
Native Habitat
Cliffs and ledges, dry fields, and rocky slopes.