Moonglow Juniper
A Bright Silver-Blue Pyramid for Bold Evergreen Color Moonglow Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow') is one of the most striking blue junipers, forming a broad, dense pyramid o f frosty silver-blue foliage. It grows to 15-20 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide, holding its intense color year-round. Hardy, drought-tough, and deer-resistant, it makes a commanding accent or informal screen. Moonglow Juniper Plant Details Attribute Detail Scientific Name Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow' Common Names Moonglow Juniper Mature Height 15-20 feet Mature Width 8-10 feet Growth Rate Moderate - 9-12 inches per year Sun Full sun (6+ hours) Water Low once established; drought-tolerant. USDA Zones 3-7 (Twin Cities is zone 4b-5a) Soil Adaptable; tolerates Minnesota clay-loam. Foliage Evergreen - bright silver-blue foliage year-round Winter Hardiness Reliable to -40F. Deer Resistance Good - junipers are generally deer-resistant thanks to their prickly, aromatic foliage. Native Status Western North American native (Rocky Mountain juniper); 'Moonglow' is a cultivated selection Moonglow Juniper Uses in Minnesota Landscapes Bold Silver-Blue Specimen Moonglow's brilliant silver-blue color is the brightest of any upright juniper, and it makes an unforgettable focal point. Set a single plant where it can be admired — anchoring a front entry, lighting up a corner bed, or standing against a backdrop of dark green spruce in Edina or Wayzata. The broad, full pyramid needs almost no shaping to look its best. Full Privacy Screens and Windbreaks At 15 to 20 feet tall and a generous 8 to 10 feet wide, Moonglow fills space fast for a dense, colorful screen. Planted 6 to 8 feet apart it forms a solid evergreen wall that blocks views and wind year-round — ideal for a back property line in Woodbury, Lakeville, or Maple Grove where you want privacy with a splash of color rather than a plain green hedge. Tough Sites: Slopes, Boulevards, and Road Salt As a Rocky Mountain Juniper selection, Moonglow is built for hard conditions — poor soil, drought, wind, and the road salt that scorches less rugged evergreens. That makes it a dependable choice for boulevard strips, dry slopes, and exposed corner lots in Eden Prairie and Plymouth where a spruce would sulk. Best Time to Plant Moonglow Juniper in Minnesota As an evergreen, Moonglow establishes best when planted in late August through mid-September. The soil is still warm enough to drive root growth, while cooler air eases transplant stress and gives the plant six to eight weeks to settle in before the ground freezes around mid-November. Spring (late April through May) is the solid second choice, leaving a full season to root before the first winter. Avoid the heat of midsummer, and never plant after mid-October — evergreens set out too late are prone to winter desiccation before their roots can support them. How to Plant Moonglow Juniper Dig wide, not deep. Make the hole 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball but no deeper — the top of the root ball should sit slightly above grade. In heavy clay, go even wider. Check drainage. Fill the hole with water; if it pools for hours, you've hit clay hardpan. Break through it or mound-plant a few inches high so roots never sit in standing water. Backfill with amended soil. Mix your native soil with 20 to 30 percent compost. Junipers prefer lean soil, so don't overdo the organic matter — just enough to loosen heavy clay. Space for the form. Set plants 6 to 8 feet apart for a privacy screen or windbreak, or 10 feet apart as individual specimens to show off the full pyramid. Build a water basin. Form a 3 to 4 inch soil ring around the base to channel water to the roots. Flatten it before winter so ice doesn't collect against the trunk. Mulch with bark. Spread 2 to 3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips, kept 2 inches off the trunk. Skip gravel mulch — it bakes roots and gives no winter insulation. Watering Moonglow Juniper in Minnesota First Year Watering Schedule Weeks 1–2: Deep soak every 1 to 2 days (15–25 minutes at a slow trickle). Month 1–2: Every 3 to 4 days. Month 3–6: Every 5 to 7 days during active growth; ease off when rain is steady. Stop watering 2 to 3 weeks before the ground freezes (late October in the metro) — but give it one last deep drink in early December if fall was dry, to guard against winter burn. After Year One Established Moonglow is genuinely drought-tolerant and rarely needs supplemental water. During a prolonged dry spell (two-plus weeks of no rain with heat), give it a deep soak every 10 to 14 days. Otherwise let Minnesota's rainfall do the work, and always stop watering 2 to 3 weeks before the ground freezes so the plant can harden off for winter. Will Moonglow Juniper survive a Minnesota winter? Without question. It's hardy to roughly -40°F (USDA zone 3), far below anything the Twin Cities' zone 4b–5a delivers. As a Rocky Mountain Juniper it's adapted to harsh high-plains winters, so it handles cold, wind, and snow load with no winter wrapping needed once established. Is it deer-resistant? Yes — junipers are among the most reliably deer-resistant evergreens for Minnesota. Their prickly, aromatic foliage is something deer rarely browse, which makes Moonglow a smart screen for high-pressure western suburbs like Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Chanhassen where deer routinely strip arborvitae. How do I keep the silver-blue color bright? Plant it in full sun — at least six hours a day. Moonglow's color is most intense in strong light and holds well through winter; in shade the foliage greens up, the silver fades, and the plant grows looser and less dense. Can I plant it near the road or driveway? Yes. As a Rocky Mountain Juniper it tolerates road salt and reflected winter wind better than most evergreens, making it dependable along boulevard strips and driveway edges where de-icing salt would scorch a spruce or arborvitae. You May Also Like Moffat Blue Juniper — a slightly narrower blue-green Rocky Mountain juniper with the same rugged toughness. Medora Juniper — a very narrow, slow-growing columnar juniper for tight vertical accents. Blue Point Juniper — a dense, compact blue-green pyramid that needs little pruning. Emerald Feather Juniper — a narrow, bright green native red cedar for slim screening spots. How Many Moonglow Junipers Do I Need? For a privacy screen or windbreak, space Moonglow 6–8 feet apart on center so the broad 8–10 foot pyramids merge into a solid silver-blue wall: Screen Length Plants Needed (7-ft spacing) 20 feet 3 plants 35 feet 5 plants 50 feet 7–8 plants 100 feet 14–15 plants As a specimen, one plant set 10 feet from structures shows off the full pyramid — it's bold enough to carry a corner bed alone. Moonglow Juniper Season-by-Season in Minnesota Spring: Frosty new growth pushes the silver-blue even brighter as the pyramid extends — no shearing needed to keep its full shape. Summer: The brightest silver-blue of any upright juniper, glowing against green lawns and dark spruce while shrugging off heat and drought. Fall: Color holds strong while the rest of the garden fades — the silver pyramid becomes the yard's standout feature. Winter: Keeps its intense silver-blue right through the snow — unlike junipers that bronze — while enduring -40°F cold, wind, and road salt. At a Glance ✔ Deer-Resistant ✔ Salt-Tolerant ✔ Drought-Tolerant ✔ Evergreen ✔ Four-Season Interest Plant It With Moffat Blue Juniper — a slightly narrower blue-green companion for varied screen texture. Medora Juniper — a pencil-thin column to punctuate the ends of a Moonglow run. Blue Point Juniper — a compact blue-green pyramid for mid-height layering in front. Emerald Feather Juniper — a bright-green native red cedar that makes the silver-blue pop by contrast. Is Moonglow Juniper Right for Your Yard? Choose Moonglow if you have full sun and want the boldest silver-blue evergreen available — it delivers specimen-grade color plus screen-grade density while tolerating drought, deer, salt, and -40°F cold. It's not a fit for shade (the silver fades and the habit loosens) or for narrow side yards — at 8–10 feet wide it needs real room; pick Medora for tight spots.
