Jack’s Juniper
A unique and rare Siskiyou endemic, Jack’s Juniper grows only on ultramafic rocks in higher elevations of the Siskiyou Mountains, and also reportedly in a few places in the Cascades. It creates a beautiful slithering silvery ground cover that is absolutely breathtaking when covered in mountain mist and complements the manzanitas of the chapparal “overstory” perfectly. This is a very slow grower and should be given very sharp drainage, but has so far been amenable to nursery potting media, though a good bit of iron and magnesium once it’s planted in the ground should help it adapt to life outside of the mountains.
Latin Name: Juniperus jackii
Site and Soil: Full to 1/2 day sun and well-drained soil.
Hardiness: Hardy to -10 F
Size at Maturity: a couple inches in height by 8-15 feet wide
Pests & Diseases: None that we have seen
USDA Zone: 6