SCIENTIFIC NAME: Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode'

COMMON NAME: Mother Lode Creeping Juniper

GARDEN SIZE: 0.5 feet tall x 4 feet wide

GROWTH RATE: Slow (3-5 inches per year under ideal conditions)

USDA ZONE: 3-9

EXPOSURE: Full Sun

WATER & SOIL: Well-drained soil; Average water requirements

HABIT (FORM): Low-spreading, creeping, densely-branching

FOLIAGE: Evergreen; Scale-like needles that are golden yellow in spring and summer, transitioning to burgundy-plum in winter

FLOWERS: None noted

PLANT ORIGIN: Alaska, Canada and the northern U.S.

WILDLIFE SUPPORT: May provide some nesting sites and shelter for birds and small mammals, but does not serve as much of a food source for local insects and wildlife.

FERTILIZING: Feed in spring and fall with acidic organic fertilizer

PRUNING: Minimal shearing required. Hand pruning in late winter or early summer is preferred.

PET SAFETY: Generally considered mildly toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and humans.

USES: Groundcover