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Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet'
Blue Carpet Singleseed Juniper
Species native to the Himalayas, Afghanistan, and mountains of China and Taiwan; cultivar selected in the Netherlands
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Overview
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Carpet' is Blue Carpet juniper (Blue Carpet Himalayan juniper), a flat prostrate evergreen coniferous shrub growing 6-12 inches (15-30 cm) tall and 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m) wide. Intensely silvery-blue needle-like foliage in whorls of three, densely packed on prostrate spreading branches. In Cupressaceae. Squamata = scaly. The most prostrate J. squamata cultivar — forms a flat carpet. Distinguished from 'Blue Star' (2-3 feet / 60-90 cm mounding) and 'Meyeri' (4-6 feet / 1.2-1.8 m upright). Needle-like foliage (not scale-like) — all J. squamata retain juvenile awl-shaped needles. Spider mites are the primary pest. Dead brown needles accumulate in the center — brush out periodically. Drought-tolerant. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Zones 4-8. Full sun to partial shade. Growth rate is slow.
Native Range
Species native to the Himalayas, Afghanistan, and mountains of China and Taiwan at 5,000-16,000 feet (1,500-4,900 m). Cultivar selected in the Netherlands.Suggested Uses
Grown as a prostrate blue evergreen ground cover, rock garden, and in containers of at least 10 gallons (38 L), spaced 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m). Drought-tolerant. Non-toxic. Zones 4-8.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6" - 1'
Width/Spread4' - 6'
Reaches mature size in approximately 8 years
Bloom Information
Not applicable — conifer. Produces small dark blue-black berry-like cones 0.25 inch (6 mm), rarely seen on this prostrate cultivar.Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
Intensely silvery-blue, needle-like (awl-shaped), 0.2-0.3 inch (5-8 mm), in whorls of three, sharply pointed, densely packed on prostrate spreading branches; the flat mat-forming habit creates a carpet effectGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Full sun to partial shade (4-12 hours). Well-drained soil pH 5.5-8.0. Drought-tolerant once established. Spider mites are the primary pest. Brush out accumulated dead brown needles from the center periodically. Do not prune into bare wood. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Zones 4-8.Pruning
Prune in early spring (March-April) to control spread. Do not cut into bare wood — junipers do not regenerate from leafless stems. Trim back to a green lateral branch. Brush out dead brown interior needles.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early spring
Maintenance Level
lowContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 10 gallons