Juniperus communis 'GREEN CARPET' common juniper
Juniperus
The genus Juniperus belongs among the oldest woody plants of the Northern Hemisphere, with a history reaching deep into the Tertiary period. Junipers shaped the landscape long before the first gardens were created, and their fossils have been found across Europe, Asia and North America. Besides Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778), who formally described the common juniper in 1753 and placed it within the botanical system, the genus was also studied by the Swiss botanist Albrecht von Haller (1708–1777). He paid close attention to the remarkable variability of woody plants, including junipers, in relation to altitude and climate, and pointed out that a single species may appear almost as several different plants across mountains, pastures and lowlands. Junipers thus became among the first woody plants that botanists struggled to fit neatly into a single category, and perhaps this is why they have retained a reputation for being somewhat wilful individualists to this day.
The common juniper is a native European species with an exceptionally wide ecological range. It grows from lowlands up to alpine zones, where it becomes a prostrate, wind‑sculpted shrub, while in open landscapes it forms upright silhouettes. For centuries it was part of everyday life – its wood scented rural houses, twigs were used to fumigate stables and dwellings, and the blue, glaucous cones ripening in their second year belonged both in the kitchen and in the medicine chest. Juniper still flavours game, rich and fat meats and spirits, the best known of which is gin. It is precisely the common juniper whose fruits are edible and safe to use; with other junipers one could not be so certain. In the landscape, juniper was regarded as a protective plant and a point of orientation. Today it is slowly disappearing from the wild, yet it is returning to gardens in the form of cultivars that transform its wild character into cultivated elegance.
Green Carpet juniper represents a creeping, ground‑covering form of common juniper, whose origin is associated with northern Europe. The cultivar arose from the selection of a naturally low‑growing form found in Norway before 1975, from where it was subsequently introduced into horticultural cultivation. It is therefore not the result of breeding in the strict sense, but a sensitive selection from the wild that preserves the natural character of the species. The plant forms a dense, low carpet with gently ascending branches that spread outward and gradually merge into a continuous surface. The needles are short and deep green, sometimes taking on a slightly darker or bluish tone in winter. They are mildly prickly to the touch, characteristically juniper‑like, and the overall impression is compact, calm and very natural. When spreading over larger areas, it has an additional advantage: it does not thin out from the centre.
‘Green Carpet’ belongs among ground‑cover woody plants with a calm, even growth habit, forming neither a tightly pressed, flat mat nor a loose, untidy cushion. Unlike strictly prostrate species that cling closely to the ground, it creates a low, gently raised cover that remains legible and visually coherent even from a distance. At the same time, it differs markedly from ground‑cover shrubs with irregular, disordered growth – its silhouette stays compact, neat and stable over the long term. It is commonly used on slopes, in the foreground of taller woody plants, or even as a lawn substitute in dry, nutrient‑poor sites. ‘Green Carpet’ does not attract attention through effect, but through reliability and a natural appearance that deepens rather than deteriorates with time.
Junipers are generally undemanding plants, and the common juniper as a species shares these modest requirements. It prefers a sunny position, where it maintains compact growth and good colour; in partial shade it may survive but loses density and character. It is not particular about soil type – it will grow in ordinary garden soil as well as in poorer, stony or sandy soils – but good drainage is essential, and permanently waterlogged sites should always be avoided. It tolerates drought very well and requires watering only after planting. Fertilisation is unnecessary, or at most very light. Pruning is not required for the plant’s survival and is carried out exceptionally, in cultivars that either grow rapidly or tend to spread (for example under the weight of snow), ideally in late winter. The common juniper is fully hardy and easily withstands temperatures down to around –40 °C (USDA zone 3).
Last update 08-02-2013; 20-01-2026
