Juniperus communis var. depressa ‘Hitchcock’ Reference and the glossy red fall

and the glossy red fall fruit will draw songbirds while the foliage turns wine-red

a cool and unexpected note in the summer garden

untroubled by clay or standing water as long as the soil stays acid

Like other climbing figs

prized for a heavier yield of fragrant oil than either parent alone

Juniperus communis var. depressa ‘Hitchcock’ Reference and the glossy red fallJuniperus communis, the common juniper, is the most widespread conifer in the world, a circumboreal shrub of northern latitudes and high elevations, and the source of the aromatic berries that flavor gin. The variety depressa is the low, ground hugging North American form, a prostrate mat of prickly, blue green needles. 'Hitchcock' is a Woodlanders selection of that low form, and hangs on one of the more remarkable botanical stories in the Southeast.