Blue Star Juniper
Blue Star Juniper
Blue Star Juniper is a tidy, mounded dwarf juniper with intense silver-blue star-shaped foliage — perfect for rock gardens, foundation beds, and pathway edges in Plymouth, Maple Grove, and Wayzata.
About Blue Star Juniper
| Botanical Name | Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star' |
| Mature Size | 1-2ft tall × 2-3ft wide |
| Bloom / Foliage | Evergreen blue juniper; no flowers |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (6+ hrs). |
| Water Needs | Low. Highly drought-tolerant. |
| Soil | Tolerates Minnesota clay-loam, sandy soils. Excellent drainage required. |
| Hardiness Zones | 3-9 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a). Reliable to -40°F. |
| Deer Resistance | Rarely browsed — one of the most deer-resistant evergreens |
| Foliage | Evergreen — needle/scale foliage |
| Growth Rate | Moderate — 12-18 inches per year |
Why You'll Love Blue Star Juniper
Deer-resistant evergreen
Junipers handle the worst Minnesota conditions — sun, dry soils, deer, road salt.
Privacy + foundation
Upright forms for screens; spreading forms for foundations and slopes.
Winter interest
Year-round color and structure against snow.
Dwarf silver-blue mounding juniper
Brightest silver-blue of any dwarf juniper. That's why Blue Star Juniper has earned a spot in our Minnesota launch catalog — it's a juniper we're confident will thrive in your Twin Cities landscape.
Planting Blue Star Juniper in the Twin Cities
Best planting window: Spring (mid-April through early June) or early fall (late August through late September). Avoid planting during peak summer heat — Twin Cities heat waves can stress newly installed root balls.
Site selection: Full sun (6+ hrs). Choose a location with the mature size of 1-2ft tall × 2-3ft wide in mind — give Blue Star Juniper room to fill out without crowding fences, sidewalks, or neighboring plants.
Soil prep: Tolerates Minnesota clay-loam, sandy soils. Excellent drainage required. If your Twin Cities yard has heavy clay (common in Plymouth, Eden Prairie, and Wayzata), amend the planting hole with 25-30% compost to improve drainage. For sandy soils in parts of Anoka and Washington counties, mix in compost to improve water retention.
How to plant:
- Dig a hole 2× the width of the root ball and the same depth.
- Loosen the sides of the hole — slick clay walls block root expansion.
- Set Blue Star Juniper so the top of the root ball is 1-2" above grade.
- Backfill with native soil mixed 25% with compost. Tamp gently.
- Water deeply (5+ gallons) immediately after planting.
- Mulch 2-3" deep, keeping mulch 2" away from the stem.
Watering & Care
First year (establishment): Water deeply 1-2× per week from April through October. Blue Star Juniper needs consistent moisture to develop a strong root system for its first Minnesota winter. Check soil moisture 4-6" deep — water when the top 2-3" feels dry.
Established (year 2+): Low. Highly drought-tolerant. During typical Twin Cities summers, supplemental water during 2+ week dry spells is enough.
Winter prep: Water deeply in late October before ground freeze — this protects Blue Star Juniper through dry winter winds. Apply a fresh 2-3" layer of mulch in November to insulate the root zone through deep freezes.
Pruning: Prune lightly in late spring or early summer. Avoid cutting into bare wood.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Star Juniper hardy in Minnesota?
Yes. Blue Star Juniper is rated for zones 3-9 (Twin Cities is zone 4b–5a) — the Twin Cities metro is zone 4b–5a, well within its hardiness range. Brightest silver-blue of any dwarf juniper.
How fast does Blue Star Juniper grow?
Moderate — 12-18 inches per year. Expect mature size (1-2ft tall × 2-3ft wide) within 5-8 years depending on site conditions and care.
Will deer eat Blue Star Juniper?
Rarely browsed — one of the most deer-resistant evergreens. In high-deer-pressure suburbs (Wayzata, Stillwater, Hudson), supplemental fencing or repellents may help young plants establish.
Can I plant Blue Star Juniper in part shade?
Full sun (6+ hrs).
What size gallon should I buy?
We typically offer Blue Star Juniper in #2, #5, #10, and sometimes larger gallon sizes. Smaller sizes establish faster and cost less; larger sizes give instant impact. For most Twin Cities residential landscapes, #5 or #10 gallon is the sweet spot.
Where We Deliver
Three Timbers Minnesota delivers and installs Blue Star Juniper across the Twin Cities metro — Minneapolis, St. Paul, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Bloomington, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Lakeville, Eagan, Roseville, Shoreview, Stillwater, Woodbury, Hudson, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, Chanhassen, Excelsior, Victoria, Chaska, and surrounding communities. Live Blue Star Juniper grown for our climate and delivered fresh from our Waconia, MN nursery.
How Many Blue Star Juniper Do I Need?
For a low foundation band or pathway edge, space Blue Star 2.5 feet on center — each mound matures 2–3 feet wide, so the row knits into a continuous silver-blue ribbon. In rock gardens, use singles or groups of 3 spaced 2–2.5 feet apart.
| Edge or bed run | Plants needed (2.5 ft spacing) |
|---|---|
| 5 feet | 2 |
| 10 feet | 4 |
| 20 feet | 8 |
| 30 feet | 12 |
Blue Star Juniper Season-by-Season in Minnesota
- Spring: Bright new growth intensifies the silver-blue, star-shaped needle clusters that give the plant its name.
- Summer: The dense, tidy mound holds its steel-blue color through heat and drought — no shearing required to keep its shape.
- Fall: Foliage stays unchanged while surrounding perennials die back, anchoring rock gardens and bed edges into the cold.
- Winter: The silver-blue cushion glows against snow — dependable evergreen color and structure straight through a −40°F winter.
At a Glance
✔ Deer-Resistant ✔ Salt-Tolerant ✔ Drought-Tolerant ✔ Evergreen ✔ Four-Season Interest
Plant It With
- Goldfinger Potentilla — golden summer flowers above the steel-blue mound make a classic tough-site pairing.
- Wilton Blue Rug Juniper — a flat silver-blue carpet flowing out from Blue Star's mounded form.
- Green Velvet Boxwood — deep green globes that contrast cleanly with the silver-blue in a formal foundation bed.
- Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass — vertical golden wands behind the low blue mound for year-round structure.
Is Blue Star Juniper Right for Your Yard?
Choose Blue Star for full-sun rock gardens, foundation beds, and path edges with good drainage — it delivers the brightest silver-blue of any dwarf juniper, ignores deer, drought, and road salt, and never needs shearing. It's not a fit for shade or poorly drained spots: with less than 6 hours of sun the mound thins and dulls, and wet feet will rot it.