You may be surprised to find out that a popular perfume and lotion scent is also the name of a drought-tolerant plant! The juniper is this week’s Plant of the Week for its ability to tolerate dry and low-water conditions. Aside from its popularity as a feminine scent, the juniper has historically been prized for its ascribed medicinal use. A variety of juniper plants are known for the ability to survive and thrive under conditions of regular to sparse watering, including the common juniper and the Japanese garden juniper, according to North Carolina State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The various types of juniper can be anywhere from half a foot (less typical) to six to twelve feet (more usual) to higher than twenty feet tall (the tall tree varieties).

The term “drought-tolerant” is used to describe those plants, trees and shrubs which can adapt easily to conditions where there is often little excess water and plenty of sunshine. Did you know that by replacing more water-demanding plants with native/lower water-use plants, you can potentially save thousands of gallons of water each month? That can add up!

It is believed that there are at least 50 different kinds of identifiable varieties of juniper all over the globe on various continents. The juniper comes in a variety of colors, including gray and blue. The juniper berry is also prized for its pleasant smell. Find out if the juniper may be right for your garden by contacting your local water district, nursery or water conservation resource such as BeWaterWise.com.