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shrub

Rocky Mountain juniper 'Wichita Blue'

Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue' is an evergreen shrub for gardens in zones 3–7. It grows 10–15 ft tall and 4–6 ft wide, so plant it 4.5 ft apart. Give it full sun and little water once established. It is grown for its year-round foliage rather than its flowers. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the structure role: a shrub that holds the bed's shape at the back all year. It is native to the Mountain West, the Great Plains and the Desert Southwest. Deer may browse it when other food is short, and it is toxic to dogs and cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Southeast and Florida and the Gulf, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue'
Plant type
Shrub, evergreen
Hardiness zones
3 to 7
Sun
Full sun (6+ hours)
Water
Low
Soil
Needs good drainage; tolerates poor and alkaline soil.
Mature size
10–15 ft tall × 4–6 ft wide
Spacing
4.5 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
Grown for foliage
Roles in a bed
Structure
Styles
low water, natural, modern
Deer resistance
Medium: browsed when deer are hungry
Pets
Toxic to dogs and cats. Not on the ASPCA list; juniper foliage oils can cause stomach upset, so marked toxic to be safe.
Native to
Mountain West, Great Plains and Desert Southwest
Pot size and price
5-gallon pot, typically $40–$65 (sometimes stocked)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water weekly through the first summer to root it in, then taper off; established plants need little extra water.
Pruning
Needs little pruning; trim stray shoots in spring.

Sources: Colorado State University Extension / Plant Select; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings (A-D); state noxious weed lists / Invasive Plant Atlas of the US; typical 2026 US garden-centre and big-box listings. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Guides that include this plant

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Rocky Mountain juniper 'Wichita Blue', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Plants that do the same job and pass the same rules for the conditions Rocky Mountain juniper 'Wichita Blue' suits.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants