Mint Julep® Chinese Juniper

Mint Julep® is a spreading Chinese juniper cultivar with bright green foliage and arching branches. [Monrovia’s exact plant page](https://www.monrovia.com/mint-julep-juniper.html) lists this selection at about 6 feet tall by 8 feet wide, in USDA Zones 3–9, and records its introduction by Monrovia in 1961. ## Form and placement The fine, evergreen foliage and naturally spreading shape suit shrub borders, mass plantings, informal screens, and topiary. It can also cover a bank, where its branches help protect exposed soil. Allow room for the mature spread if you want to keep its natural outline; clipped forms need more regular shaping. ## Growing conditions Plant in full sun and well-drained soil. Avoid sites that stay wet. Water deeply and regularly during the first growing season to establish roots; after establishment, water when the top 2 inches of soil become dry. Monrovia describes the cultivar as drought tolerant once established and suitable for warm conditions. The [Kew Plants of the World Online classification](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/60436243-2) places Juniperus in Cupressaceae. ## Maintenance Prune annually to shape, as needed, and remove dead or damaged branches. Use light, selective cuts to retain the plant’s natural arching form, or trim more regularly when maintaining a formal topiary.