How big does Rocky Mountain juniper grow?

About 4 m × 60 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 3.5–5 m × 0.6–1.5 m.

What soil does Rocky Mountain juniper grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, clay, calcareous.

Is Rocky Mountain juniper hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Rocky Mountain juniper be planted?

Plant it at least 2 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

How far apart should Rocky Mountain juniper be planted?

Planted on its own, it needs 80 cm between plants. For a hedge, allow 2.5 plants per metre.

How much water does Rocky Mountain juniper need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum

Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) is a shrub that reaches 4 m × 60 cm after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: high.

Illustration of Rocky Mountain juniper — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

Rocky Mountain juniper is sold as narrow, columnar, blue-green or silver-blue forms (Blue Arrow, Skyrocket): in ten years they reach roughly four metres while staying little more than half a metre wide. They fit tight spaces, gateways, vertical accents or a narrow screen planted in a row, and survive where Italian cypress would be killed by frost. They want full sun and free-draining soil, cope with lime and dry ground, and hardly need watering once established.

Watch out for

Wet snow and freezing rain pull the column apart and the branches splay or break, so it is worth tying it loosely before winter; Skyrocket is more prone to this, while the shorter-branched Blue Arrow keeps its shape better. In wet springs fungal tip blight (Phomopsis) browns the shoots. In wet, heavy soil it is lost to root rot, it dislikes humid, muggy heat, and in drier summers spider mites can attack it. It is susceptible to pear rust: the fungus overwinters on this juniper, so do not plant it near pear trees.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 4 m × 60 cm
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

All details

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	4 m × 60 cm
Ultimate size	3.5–5 m × 0.6–1.5 m
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Clay, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 2 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	80 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	no data

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 17, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant shrubs Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Hedge plants Evergreen hedge plants Plants for screening Evergreen plants Low-maintenance shrubs Plants for a Mediterranean garden Fragrant plants Fragrant shrubs

Guide on the topic

Fast-growing hedges: how much each grows in a year The fastest hedge plant is the Leyland cypress, growing about 90 cm a year, followed by cherry laurel 'Novita', firethorn and western red cedar at about 50 cm a year, then privet at 40 cm. How long a 180 cm hedge takes to screen depends more on the size of plant you buy: several years from small plants, one or two summers from large ones, but at many times the price per metre. The tables use the current shop prices in your country.

Planting a hedge: how many plants per metre, and what it costs Most hedge plants go in at 2-4 plants per metre: Leyland cypress 2, cherry laurel and photinia 2.5 (40 cm apart), yew 3, hornbeam 3.5, privet and beech 4. The plants go in one row, 80 cm from the fence, in autumn or early spring. What the hedge costs depends most on the size of the plants: the table works it out at today's shop prices in your country, for the length of your own hedge.

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