Skyrocket Juniper

Skyrocket Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket') is not a native plant but rather a cultivated variety of the Rocky Mountain Juniper, which is native to the western United States. This upright, columnar evergreen has been selectively bred for its unique growth habit and striking blue-green foliage, making it a popular choice for various landscaping applications. While the parent species can be found in its natural habitat, the Skyrocket Juniper has been developed to thrive in a wide range of garden settings, particularly in USDA zones 4-9, where it offers both beauty and functionality.

Although Skyrocket Juniper is not indigenous, it adapts well to various soil types and climatic conditions, making it a valuable addition to many landscapes. Its drought-tolerant nature allows it to withstand dry conditions, which is ideal for low-maintenance gardens. By incorporating Skyrocket Juniper into your landscape, you can create striking vertical interest while enhancing the ecological diversity of your garden. While it may not be native, its hardiness and aesthetic appeal make it a favorite among gardeners seeking to improve their outdoor spaces with resilient and attractive evergreens.

When planting Skyrocket Junipers for a privacy hedge, it’s best to space them about 3 to 5 feet apart. This spacing allows the plants to grow together while maintaining enough room for air circulation and healthy growth. Since Skyrocket Junipers can reach heights of 15 to 20 feet and maintain a narrow, columnar form, planting them at this distance creates a dense and effective screen without overcrowding the plants. This spacing will help your hedge develop a uniform appearance while still allowing each tree to thrive without competition for nutrients and water.

To ensure a successful privacy hedge, dig holes that are twice as wide as the root balls of the Skyrocket Junipers and about the same depth. This encourages healthy root development and stability as the plants grow. After planting, water thoroughly to help establish the roots, and consider applying mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Regular pruning may also be needed to maintain the desired shape and density of your hedge over time. With proper spacing and care, your Skyrocket Juniper privacy hedge will provide year-round beauty and an effective barrier against wind and unwanted views.

Skyrocket Junipers are known for their moderate growth rate, typically reaching heights of 10 to 20 feet over several years. On average, these evergreens can grow about 6 to 12 inches per year under optimal conditions, which include full sun, well-drained soil, and proper care. This steady growth makes them an excellent choice for gardeners seeking a striking vertical element in their landscape without the immediate commitment of faster-growing plants. Their upright form provides a beautiful addition to privacy hedges or accent plantings.

To ensure healthy growth, it’s important to provide Skyrocket Junipers with adequate water during their establishment period, especially in the first year after planting. Once established, these hardy shrubs become drought-tolerant and can thrive with minimal watering, making them an ideal choice for low-maintenance gardens. Proper spacing and occasional pruning can also encourage a denser growth habit, allowing your Skyrocket Junipers to reach their full potential while enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your landscape. With the right care, these junipers will provide year-round beauty and functional benefits for your outdoor space.

No, deer typically do not eat Skyrocket Junipers, as they are considered deer-resistant. The aromatic foliage and dense, needle-like leaves of these evergreens deter deer from browsing, making them an excellent choice for landscapes in areas where deer are prevalent. This resistance to deer browsing allows Skyrocket Junipers to thrive without the constant worry of damage, ensuring they maintain their striking blue-green color and upright form throughout the seasons.

In addition to being deer-resistant, Skyrocket Junipers are also resilient to other common garden pests, which makes them a low-maintenance option for gardeners. Their ability to withstand browsing pressure from deer means that you can incorporate these beautiful evergreens into your landscape design with confidence. Whether used as a privacy hedge, focal point, or accent plant, Skyrocket Junipers will provide lasting beauty and structure to your garden while remaining largely untouched by deer.

Our trees and shrub heights are measured from the top of the root ball to the top of the plant. We do not include the root system in our measurements. You can be assured that if we sell a tree at 4 to 5 feet high that after planting the tree will be 4 to 5 feet tall after planting.

You might see our sizes listed as 4 to 5 feet tall. Simply put, trees and shrubs grow. We are always pruning our plants to promote better branching and fuller canopies. This ensures you receive a plant that has been properly pruned to ensure health and vitality. Doing this can often change the height by 6 to 8 inches. By grading trees into 1-foot increments it assures you that you get what you’re paying for. Oftentimes our trees are sold above the height we specify but we never ship a plant that does not make the minimum height we specify.