Savin Juniper

Savin juniper is the tough, spreading evergreen shrub that fills the middle ground between groundcover junipers and upright forms, growing two to six feet tall with a spreading, vase-shaped habit that works for mass plantings, foundation borders, and the kind of low-maintenance commercial landscapes where plants need to survive on neglect. The dark green, scale-like foliage has a distinctive, somewhat pungent aroma when crushed. Native to the mountains of southern Europe, Siberia, and the Caucasus.

In Western Washington, savin juniper performs well in full sun with well-drained soil. It tolerates drought, heat, wind, and poor soil, the standard juniper toughness profile. 'Tamariscifolia' (Tam juniper) is the classic low-spreading selection, widely planted in commercial landscapes for decades. 'Buffalo' stays compact and dense. Several diseases are tracked, including juniper tip blight and Phytophthora root rot in wet soils. The critical requirement is drainage: wet clay kills junipers. In a well-drained site with full sun, savin juniper is one of the most durable evergreen shrubs in the palette. It is not exciting, but it is permanent.