Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' - Evergreen Trees Direct

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

$250.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

Title: 40cm/45L

40cm/45L 100L

Current Stock Height Guides

40cm/45L: Enquire within for height guide information.
100L: Enquire within for height guide information.

Height guide disclaimer: Height ranges are approximate only. As living products, plant heights naturally vary between individual plants, batches, and seasons. No guarantee is given that supplied plants will fall within the stated range. If minimum heights are required, you mustconfirm current batch heights with Evergreen Trees Direct prior to purchase. Variation in height is normal and is not grounds for return, refund, replacement, or compensation.

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 5m to 8m (approx.)

Mature Width: 0.6m to 0.9m

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is expected to grow 20cm to 40cm per year (moderate).

Root Ball Dimensions

Use this as a reference when digging your planting hole. We recommend digging at least 10% wider than the dimensions below to encourage strong root development.

30cm Pot: 33cm (W) × 30cm (D)
40cm/45L Pot: 44cm (W) × 41.5cm (D)
50cm Pot / 70L Pot: 55cm (W) × 41.8cm (D)
100L Bag: 50.6cm (W) × 52.8cm (D)
150L Bag: 66cm (W) × 55cm (D)
200L Bag: 71.5cm (W) × 60.5cm (D)
300L Bag: 88cm (W) × 63.8cm (D)
400L Bag: 99cm (W) × 66cm (D)
500L Bag: 122cm (W) × 66cm (D)
750L Bag: 134cm (W) × 69cm (D)
1000L Bag: 146.3cm (W) × 71.5cm (D)
2000L Bag: 176cm (W) × 82.5cm (D)

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Shipping

Shipping is calculated at checkout based on the pallet space your order occupies in the truck and your delivery location.

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Contact

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Email: sales@evergreentrees.com.au

Phone: (03) 7042 3318

About Your New Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is an evergreen conifer with an exceptionally slim, columnar habit, taller and far narrower than most conifers of its height. The needle-like foliage is blue-green to silver-blue and keeps that colour all year. The form is architectural, closer to a pencil than a cone.

Height gain is 20 to 40 centimetres a year, moderate for a conifer. Mature size is 3 to 4 metres tall and just 0.6 to 0.9 metres wide. It wants full sun and sharp drainage, tolerates dry inland conditions and light to moderate frost, and becomes drought tolerant after the second summer.

It is used where vertical line is needed and horizontal space is not available, such as narrow side gardens, courtyard corners, between windows on a facade, or in a rhythm along a driveway. Grouped in threes it makes a light screen. For designers, the value is height without width.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Skyrocket Juniper

What is Skyrocket Juniper?

Skyrocket is a cultivar of Juniperus scopulorum, the Rocky Mountain Juniper, selected for an unusually narrow columnar shape. It is an evergreen conifer with fine blue-green needle-like foliage and a strong upright leader. Gardeners choose it when they want a tall vertical accent in a space that cannot take a spreading canopy.

How big does Skyrocket Juniper grow?

It reaches 3 to 4 metres tall and only 0.6 to 0.9 metres wide, which is one of the slimmest ratios available in a conifer of this size. The narrow habit is natural and does not depend on clipping. A restricted root run in a pot keeps it noticeably shorter than those figures.

How fast does it grow?

Growth is moderate at 20 to 40 centimetres a year. It puts on most of that through spring and again in autumn when soil temperatures are mild. Advanced sizes are the usual choice where a designed height is needed sooner, since the plant will not rush to fill a gap on its own.

Is it drought tolerant?

Yes, once established. After two summers the root system carries it through extended dry periods with little or no supplementary water, which is why it appears in low water use and Mediterranean-style plantings. Drainage is the real requirement. It handles dry ground far better than it handles waterlogged roots in heavy clay.

Where does it grow best in Australia?

Cool and temperate districts suit it best, including Victoria, Tasmania, the ACT, the southern tablelands, the Adelaide Hills and inland New South Wales. It also grows in Perth and Adelaide gardens with good drainage. Humid subtropical and tropical areas are the weak point, where foliage fungal problems become more likely.

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

For a light screen, space plants 1 to 1.5 metres apart, or 80 centimetres apart if you want the columns to knit into a solid formal line. As a repeated feature down a drive, 3 metres apart gives each plant room to show its shape while still reading as a set.

How do I care for Skyrocket Juniper?

Water weekly through the first two summers, then only in long dry spells. Feed in early spring with a slow release fertiliser and keep a 75 millimetre mulch layer away from the trunk. Pruning is rarely needed. If wind or snow splays the column, tie the leaders together loosely with soft ties rather than cutting.

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

Enriched Planting Mix is a certified organic blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent, bagged in 30L. It is built to be dug through existing garden soil at planting time rather than used on its own, and the gypsum is what sets it apart from a plain compost.

Gypsum helps break up heavy clay so water and roots can move through it, while the compost and manure return organic matter and nutrient to tired ground. The coarse bark holds structure and keeps air around the root zone, and the wetting agent keeps moisture in the soil longer after rain or watering.

Use it when planting trees, shrubs, roses, fruit trees and exotic garden plants, particularly into clay. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and 7 centimetres deeper, then mix roughly one third planting mix through the excavated soil. Spread 7 centimetres of that improved soil in the base before setting the plant in.

Frequently Asked Questions

About Enriched Planting Mix

What is Enriched Planting Mix made from?

It is a blend of Pure Magic Compost, composted animal manure, gypsum, composted coarse bark and a wetting agent. Each part has a job. The compost and manure supply organic matter and nutrient, the gypsum works on clay structure, the bark keeps air around the roots and the wetting agent holds moisture in the soil.

What plants is it suitable for?

It suits exotic garden plants, including roses, ornamental and deciduous trees, fruit trees, shrubs and perennials, and it earns its keep most on heavy clay sites. It is a planting mix rather than a potting mix, so its job is improving soil at planting time. Phosphorus sensitive natives are the one clear exception.

Is it safe for natives?

No, not for the phosphorus sensitive ones. The composted animal manure in this blend lifts phosphorus well above what Proteaceae such as Banksia, Grevillea, Hakea and Protea will tolerate, and the result can be leaf burn, dieback and plant death. Use the Native Potting Mix for those species, or plant them into unimproved local soil.

Is it certified organic?

Yes. It is a certified organic product with no chemical additives, which is why the manure and compost in it are fully composted rather than raw. That makes it sound around fruit trees and vegetable beds, and it means you are adding genuine organic matter to your soil rather than a synthetic conditioner.

How much do I need?

Work on roughly one third planting mix to two thirds of the soil you dug out of the hole. For a shrub out of a 200 millimetre pot that is only a few litres. An advanced tree going into a large hole will take considerably more. Judge the quantity by the volume of the hole rather than the size of the plant.

Can I use it in pots?

It is not a potting mix and should not be used on its own in a container. The blend is designed to be diluted through garden soil, and used straight in a pot it holds too much water and settles badly. For containers, reach for a premium potting mix, or the native mix if you are potting natives.

Does it need to be watered in?

Yes. Water the plant well several hours before you plant it, then water thoroughly again once the hole is backfilled and the soil firmed down. That first deep watering settles the improved soil around the root ball and drives out air pockets. Keep the water up over the first few months while the roots establish.

View full details

Type: Garden Supplies

Enriched Planting Mix (AO Certified)

$21.95

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Uses in my Garden

Screening or Privacy
Shrubs
Avenue Planting

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' works in an:

Formal Garden – structured, symmetrical design with clipped shapes.
Mediterranean Style Garden – timeless courtyard look with stone, pots, and bold greenery.
Modern Garden – sleek, minimal, and design-led planting.
Low-maintenance Garden – resilient choices for easy care and year-round appeal.

Is Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' Evergreen or Deciduous?

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is an Evergreen (foliage year round) Tree

Mature Height & Width

Mature Height: 5m to 8m (approx.)

Mature Width: 0.6m to 0.9m

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is expected to grow 20cm to 40cm per year (moderate).

Growth Rate of Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is expected to grow 20cm to 40cm per year (moderate).

They are considered to have a:

Medium Growth Rate

Frost Tolerance & Ideal Climate to plant Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

Is Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' frost tolerant?

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is Frost Hardy – Survives heavy and frequent frost without damage.

Does Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' Flower?

Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’ produces tiny, inconspicuous yellow-green flowers in spring. These modest blooms sit close to the stems and are not ornamentally significant, with the tree’s standout appeal coming from its steely blue foliage and extremely narrow, upright habit rather than its flowering.

Does Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' flower?

No - Doesn't Flower

Flowering Period:

Not Applicable

Flower Type:

Not Applicable

Flower Colour:

Not Applicable

Is Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' an Australian Native Tree?

No

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is Native to Western North America, where Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper) grows naturally on dry slopes and rocky hillsides.

What is the Wildlife Value of Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' ?

Its small bluish berries provide valuable food for birds, while the dense upright foliage offers shelter and roosting habitat for small birds and beneficial insects. The tight columnar structure also creates protected micro-habitats, boosting biodiversity in both ornamental and low-water gardens.

How much Sunlight does Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' need?

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' will thrive best in:

Full Sun

Preferred Soil?

Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’ performs best in well-drained sandy or loam soils and tolerates slightly acidic to slightly alkaline conditions. It can struggle in heavy clay or poorly drained ground unless improved with coarse sand, gravel and organic matter to enhance drainage. Keep soil evenly moist during establishment, then move to deep, infrequent watering as the plant matures to support its drought resistance, foliage quality and strong, upright structure.

Is Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' Drought Tolerant?

Is Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' Drought tolerant?

As a young plant it requires regular watering, but once established ‘Skyrocket’ develops excellent drought tolerance. Originating from arid, high-altitude regions, it thrives in hot, dry, windy and coastal locations and maintains its pencil-thin form with very minimal supplementary watering.

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How To Plant Your Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

Site: Choose a well-drained position in full sun with good air movement and room for the canopy to develop.

Soil preparation: Enrich the planting area with quality compost and a light dressing of aged manure for a strong establishment phase.

Hole: Dig twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth, avoiding any low spot where water might pool.

Planting: Position level with the surrounding soil, backfill gently, firm in, then water deeply to settle the roots.

Recommended Planting Spacing For Your Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

Hedging and screening: 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge.

Feature tree: 3 to 4 metres apart to allow the full canopy and form to develop.

Avenue planting: 3 metres apart for a uniform soft-textured avenue.

Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' is expected to grow 20cm to 40cm per year (moderate).

Medium Growth Rate

Long Term Care For Your Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket'

Watering: Water deeply twice weekly through the first 12 months. Once established, this is drought tolerant and only needs a deep soak during extended dry periods.

Mulching: Apply a 5 centimetre layer of organic mulch or pine bark over the root zone, keeping it 5 centimetres clear of the trunk to avoid waterlogging at the base.

Pruning: Tip prune in late winter and again in summer to build dense growth. For a formal hedge, light shaping two to three times a year keeps lines crisp.

Fertilising: Apply a slow-release general-purpose fertiliser in early spring and again in autumn for steady growth and consistent foliage colour.

Pest and disease: Hardy against most pests and diseases. Occasional inspection in warm humid conditions is all that's needed.

Planting Your Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' in Different Soil

Juniperus scopulorum performs best in free-draining loam or sandy loam with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH. Adaptable to a wide range of soils when drainage is sharp.

Sandy soil: Free-draining and ideal. Mulch lightly to moderate surface temperature.

Clay soil: Improve drainage with gypsum and coarse organic compost before planting.

Loam: The preferred soil for steady root development and consistent growth.

pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline preferred. Avoid waterlogging at all times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Q: Can Skyrocket Junipers be used for creating privacy screens?
A: Yes, Skyrocket Junipers are often used to create tall and narrow privacy screens due to their upright growth habit.

Q: Do Skyrocket Junipers require special care during winter?
A: Skyrocket Junipers are hardy and do not typically require special care during winter. However, watering during dry winter periods may be necessary.

Q: How fast do Skyrocket Junipers grow?
A: Skyrocket Junipers have a moderate growth rate and can reach their mature height in several years.