by MaryAnn Fink, The Native Explorer post contributor, Horticulture Specialist, and Community Program Advisor
WHoooo doesn't love Gray Owl Juniper with her soft look of silvery blue gray peeking from underneath a misty haze ? Or maybe you'd rather watch her play in the snow?
In December, one of my favorite winter activities is to watch snow fall. Just wait till snow starts accumulating and see how beautiful it makes even the ordinary look special. I love to watch how the snow mounds up on the crest of Gray Owl's silvery blue feather-like branches.
Whoooo doesn't love Gray Owl Juniper? This silvery blue gray beauty was discovered in 1938.
This graceful evergreen is a selection of juniper virginiana that is native to Missouri. Often called eastern red cedar, she is well known as a tough medium size shrub with high habitat value. She is happy to grow her best in average to poor soil with minimal water needs once she's established. Deer rarely bother her but birds love her silver blue juniper berries!
She is an easy care choice if given adequate space. Best pruning methods is done with selective trimming with hand pruners to gently manage her height and width. Unfortunately she is often heavily hedged, which causes her to lose her signature soft feathery look and most of her valuable wildlife food source, those silver blue berries!
She's earned her silver as she's weathered the test of time! She was first discovered in 1938 in a batch of Juniperus virginiana seedlings that had been selected because of their blue tint to their foliage.
She's a female clone so she's all girl and known as a prolific producer of juniper berries and cones!
Copyright 2021 MaryAnn Fink
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