Junipers are a large group of evergreen trees and shrubs. They belong to the pine
family. Some junipers are bushy, others are low-growing, creeping, or
spreading. Some are medium-sized trees and still others look like tall
narrow columns. Junipers are often planted in rock gardens or in beds near the foundation of a house. Taller junipers are often planted in groups to provide pleasing backgrounds or screens. The word juniper means "forever young."
Junipers usually have gray-green needle-shaped leaves. There are two kinds of juniper leaves. Needle-shaped leaves grow on young seedlings and on leading shoots.
Scale-like leaves grow on twigs of older trees. They look like a braided cord and are called
whip-cord foliage. Junipers are raised from seed. The seeds take from two to three years to sprout. When the seedlings
are large and strong enough, they can be set out in the nursery or garden.
