Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'
Overall Description This plant
has a tall and extremely narrow, columnar growth habit. Its short,
compact, silvery blue foliage is evergreen with virtually no change from
season to season. It's a very striking, dramatic plant when used as a
cluster planting against a large fence or building or in formal
plantings. The tallest, narrowest juniper out there. Beautifully
elegant for use around large entryways, gates, or even just to hide
that old gutter downspout. FAST GROWING!!!!
There is much confusion out there in regards to the Skyrocket juniper variety versus another variety called Blue Arrow Juniper. There are several opinions as to whether there is any difference between the two varieties, or whether they are even two separate varieties at all. Our opinion / stance on this subject is that the two names are synonymous, and both pertain to the same plant variety. We have grown specimens that were labeled as both Skyrocket, as well as Blue Arrow - multiple specimens of each, and all were grown within close proximity to one another. We noticed absolutely NO distinctions between the two, no differences to speak of whatsoever.
We choose to grow Skyrocket, and market them as such, due to the fact that Skyrocket was the first of the two varieties ( Skyrocket & Blue Arrow ) to be introduced & developed. Skyrocket has been around for years...whereas Blue Arrow is a fairly recent market introduction. There are also several sources within the landscape / horticultural industries that still list Skyrocket Juniper as a member of the Juniperus virginiana family - but proper classification of this variety would put them in the J. scopulorum family.
Plant Facts & Specifications
Mature Height: 15-20 ft
Mature Width: 2-3 ft
Growth rate: Moderate to fast ( 10"-18" avg per yr )
Hardiness Zones: 3-8 ( if unsure of your zone, please use zone finder below )
Sun Exposure: Full
sun
preferred,
but will tolerate some partial shade as well. Growth rate, and foliage
density will both suffer slightly when planted in shady locations. Sometimes has trouble dealing with high heat & humidity, as well as high night time temperatures.
Soil Preference: Average
to
slightly acidic & sandy - well drained. Regular mulchings are very beneficial.
Foliage Color & Texture: Foliage
color
is a very attractive silver / blue - no winter discoloration noticed
here in East TN. Foliage is held on very upright, vertical branches.
Flower, Cone, Or Berry Facts: None to mention
Diseases / Insects:
Phomopsis
blight, canker, and Cedar Apple Rust have all been spotted on this
variety....as is the case with most any J. scopulorum varieties.
Regular yearly inspections are recommended to monitor any possible
problems. The occurrence of both Phomopsis, and canker can be more
prevalent if conditions are overly moist / wet.
Fertilization / Feeding: Either
water soluble ( Miracle Gro, or equivalent ), or granular ( Holly Tone
is excellent ). Other granular types with 6-12-12, or 10-10-10 ratio is
acceptable. Best to fertilize in early spring, and again in mid fall -
avoid feeding during hot summer months, and directly after
transplanting.
