Is There a Plant Like Juniper That Likes Shade?

Ground Covers

• Choose dense, low-growing evergreen ground covers to replace junipers such as the creeping (J. horizontalis), savin (J. sabina) and shore junipers (J. conferta). The wintercreeper euonymous (Euonymus fortunei) grows from 2 to 24 inches tall but spreads much wider. This evergreen has tiny, toothed, dark-green foliage and produces pink berries in the fall. It thrives in sun to shade and prefers well-drained sites in U. S. Department of Agriculture zones 5 to 9. Siberian cypress (Microbiota decussata) grows from 1 to 2 feet tall and spreads up to 12 feet wide. It has scaled, awl-shaped evergreen foliage and arching branches. Siberian cypress is hardy in zones 2 to 8 and grows in partial shade and a range of soils.

Low Shrubs

• Low shrubs grow less than 6 feet tall, like the Pfitzer (J. chinensis "Pfitzerana") and Gold Coast (Gold Coast juniper (J. chinensis "Gold Coast") junipers. The littleleaf cotoneaster (Cotoneaster microphyllus) grows to 3 feet tall with a similar spread. This evergreen is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 7 and grows well in partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. It has dark-green foliage and produces red berries in summer. The Oregon grape holly (Mahonia aquifolium) grows to 6 feet tall and is hardy in zones 4 to 7. This evergreen has lustrous foliage and produces blue-black berries. It prefers partial shade and well-drained, moist, acidic soil.

Tall Shrubs

• Choose shrubs more than 6 feet tall instead of junipers such as the Pathfinder (J. scopulorum "Pathfinder") or Spartan (J. chinensis "Spartan"). Shade-tolerant options include the Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense), which grows to 15 feet tall with a similar spread and is hardy in zones 6 to 9. This evergreen has lustrous, dark foliage and grows well in shade and a range of soils. It produces long-lasting black fruits. The Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis) grows to 15 feet tall with an equal spread. It tolerates partial shade, prefers moist, well-drained soil and is hardy in zones 5b to 7. This upright yew has needlelike foliage and tolerates drought.

Trees

• Choose narrowleaved evergreen trees to replace tall junipers such as the Eastern red cedar (J. virginiana) or ashe juniper (J. ashei). The giant arborvitae (Thuja plicata) grows to 80 feet tall with a 20-foot spread. This fast-growing, conical tree grows well in partial shade and well-drained, moist soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8 and has scaled foliage. The English yew (Taxus baccata) grows from 30 to 60 feet tall with a 25-foot spread. This needled evergreen is hardy in zones 6 to 7 and prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. It has feathery, dark green needles and produces red berries.