I am thinking of using blue point juniper for a hedge on the east side of my city lot. It will be watered in the summer. Part of it will be in partial shade and part in full sun. I plan to let it grow naturally and will space plants about 8 feet apart. I don't need a really dense hedge. More a clean looking tall border that doesn't need twice yearly trimming. I live in the Pacific North/West. Mild weather and winter rain. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks
http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.ns...0071a160!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,blue ,point Looks narrower in small sizes but being otherwise similar to J. chinensis 'Pyramidalis' (sold under misapplied name J. excelsa 'Stricta') I wonder if it will show the same tendency to deteriorate with age, often opening up and developing extensive sections of brown, dead, persisting foliage. Possibly even a few local specimens assumed to be the J. chinensis 'Pyramidalis' are actually J. chinensis 'Blue Point' - I don't know. Above link says the latter remains compact and attractive, yet a hint of browning can be seen near middle left of specimen shown on main page for that cultivar. While Chinese juniper is shade-tolerant it does open up markedly when shaded. While you may prefer conifers, if not various broadleaf evergreens make handsome hedges and are more cheerful, being light-reflecting (shiny) rather than light-absorbing (shadowy). Coastal native Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica) develops comparatively rapidly and is particularly perky in aspect, however it may not be your idea of a neat hedge. Another that has been impressive in Seattle is Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus), again a glossy, narrowish tall evergreen shrub - in this case evoking sparkling plumes (record lows may kill it back here). If you would prefer a grayish or silvery hedge common box (Buxus sempervirens) can be quite pleasingly glaucous (bluish) but is slow to develop, prone to discoloration where site conditions are not completely suitable. Often this seems to be associated with full sun exposure, shaded specimens having the best foliage appearance (but being more open in habit). A row of the compact clumps of various hardy, temperate-climate bamboos in the genus Fargesia can be quite nice, one near the sidewalk at a property on the right as one entered UBC Endowment Lands via SW Marine Dr was so naturally tight and vertical on that site it looked artificial.
http://hcs.osu.edu/pocketgardener/source/description/th_talis.html Maybe this would be a better option ? Thuga occentailis ,Have these myself.Very nice.hardy,sun or part shade never need trimmed.Just a thought.
If the area gets shade 1/3 of the day - maybe. If shade close to half the day - maybe not. Also, have you checked into names Moonglow Juniper? Wichita Juniper? The blue point juniper would probably need some pruning once per year - that's not too much. Is once per year fine for you?
Like blue Colorado spruce and white fir cultivars blue forms of Rocky Mountain juniper planted here on the damp side of the mountains do not maintain good foliage appearance beyond the first year or so. Older foliage develops a greenish coating (algae?) and does not persist long enough to prevent sparse interior to develop as plant ages. In the case of the Rocky Mountain juniper cultivars even young, small specimens may exhibit this condition. I definitely would not plant these in any significant amount of shade, in this climate.
