Living layers
Overlapping branches lift their tips and create real three-dimensional relief rather than a flat carpet.
Juniperus procumbens 'nana' 13cm
Normal price
€9,00
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Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’
Compact, dwarf and densely spreading 🌿
- Dense creeping habit
- Blue-green foliage
- Ideal for rock gardens
- Full sun
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ creates a dense blue-green relief that seems to flow across soil, stone and low edges. Short overlapping shoots form lively layers, while upturned tips bring light, shadow and three-dimensional movement to the surface. The combination of soft texture and visible woody lines gives it the character of a miniature natural landscape, filled with depth and quiet strength.
In a rock garden or along a low wall, its creeping lines seem to continue the shape of the stone. Beside upright conifers, understated containers or fine gravel, it creates beautiful contrast and makes the composition feel connected and complete. Its expressive branching also explains why it remains a classic choice for bonsai with a strong, natural personality.
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit for its dependable, low and densely textured garden form.
What makes it special
Layered fans, lifted shoot tips and visible woody lines give this dwarf conifer far more depth than a flat groundcover.
Character all year
Evergreen foliage holds colour and structure when surrounding perennials have receded.
Natural form for bonsai
Dense branching and a creeping trunk can be developed patiently into an expressive miniature framework.
Why you will love it: it combines ground-hugging coverage with the layered movement and visible woody character of a much older landscape plant.
In the garden & on the balcony Placement & plant combinations Place the creeping tiers on a sunny, sharply drained edge where their upturned tips can travel freely.
Let the tiers travel
Plant it in full sun over stone, on a slope or along a raised edge, always in sharply drained soil and with space for the branches to spread. For continuous cover, allow about 1–1.5m between plants.
Blue-green beside fine grasses and warm stone
Low flowering mats and fine upright blades reveal the juniper’s overlapping architecture without growing through it.
- Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ — upright blue blades contrast with the horizontal tiers
- Sedum ‘Angelina’ — warm succulent tips run beneath the blue-green branches
- Thymus serpyllum — a fine flowering mat softens the outer edge
Care at a glance
Light
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ performs best in full sun; this exposure also keeps its layered creeping habit clearly defined.
Watering
Water Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ thoroughly while it establishes, then allow a moderate drying interval between waterings; keep the woody centre out of standing water.
Climate & hardiness
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ is a hardy evergreen conifer. Its low branches tolerate cold well when the crown is not trapped in winter moisture.
Safety
Ornamental only: the prickly foliage and sap may irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when training or pruning this dense mat.
Detailed care Complete care guide How to establish, water and shape a long-lived blue-green cascade
Position
Plant in full sun, with free air movement, sharp drainage and room for the creeping tiers to travel visibly across the surface.
Soil & drainage
For Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’, use open, gritty soil with sharp drainage throughout the root zone. The root zone must not remain waterlogged after heavy rain.
Watering during establishment
In its first growing season, soak the planted area whenever the top few centimetres begin to dry, making sure water reaches beneath the full young spread.
Watering once established
Water deeply beneath the full spread, then wait until the upper soil has begun to dry before watering again.
Growing in a container
A broad, stable outdoor container lets the creeping tiers reach and pass over the rim. Use a gritty mix and keep the crown slightly above it so winter moisture cannot collect around the centre.
Feeding
If growth is weak, apply a light balanced feed in spring; heavy feeding encourages soft, open shoots and blurs the dense tiered habit.
Pruning
Cut a misplaced branch back to a well-positioned side shoot, keeping the naturally lifted tips intact.
Seasonal care
Lift trapped leaves from the woody centre after winter and remove only dead or damaged growth.
Development over time From establishment to a mature layered creeping mat with upturned tips The roots establish first; low lateral branches then overlap and lift at their tips, gradually creating the mature three-dimensional mat.
Rooting into place
The roots establish first, anchoring the young plant before substantial lateral extension becomes visible.
Tiers begin to overlap
Side shoots lengthen, cross one another and lift their tips above the first layer.
Mature relief
A broad 20–30cm-high mat develops, with visible woody lines beneath repeated blue-green fans.
Mature habit & dimensions
Long-term mature habitHeight 20–30cmSpread 1.2–1.5mLayered creeping mat with upturned tips
A layered creeping mat forms as low branches overlap and younger sprays lift at their ends, creating clear tiers across the surface.
Form through time
Two realistic development statesEvergreen structureCool weather may deepen or bronze the blue-green tone slightly.
Young establishmentThe roots establish first, anchoring the young plant before substantial lateral extension becomes visible.
Established architectureA broad 20–30cm-high mat develops, with visible woody lines beneath repeated blue-green fans.
Cool weather can deepen the blue-green tone or add a light bronze cast. Branch overlap and shoot length become more pronounced as the plant settles.
What to expect after planting: Visible spread may pause while new roots anchor the young plant. Later, crossing side shoots build new layers and turn their tips upwards.
History & origin Cultivar origin Japanese selection · Arthur Hill, D. Hill Nursery · introduction date uncertain
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ is an old dwarf selection from Japan. The name of its first Japanese selector, its parent plant and the way it arose have not survived in the cultivar’s history. Its passage into Western nursery culture is associated with Arthur Hill of D. Hill Nursery in Dundee, Illinois.
The next chapter has no single certain date: some accounts place the introduction in 1904, while others date it to about 1922. Whichever date is the more accurate, ‘Nana’ became established in Western cultivation as the low Japanese form with a dense framework and characteristically upturned shoot tips. The date of its first propagation has not been preserved.
Greenleaf for Plant Nerds Science nobody asked for Botanical details for anyone curious about what lies behind the plant’s appearance.
It is not a flat carpet
The ends of lateral shoots turn upwards, creating the cultivar’s characteristic three-dimensional relief.
Maturity becomes visible in the wood
With age the central woody framework is increasingly exposed while young blue-green tips continue to cover the surface.
Frequently asked questions
Useful answers for keeping ‘Nana’ dense, tiered and healthy from planting onwards.
01Where does ‘Nana’ show its layered habit most clearly?
Set it in full sun on a slope, in a rock garden or beside a raised edge, with gritty soil and sharp drainage. Leave open ground ahead of the creeping shoots so their lifted ends remain visible.
02Why do the ends of its shoots turn upwards?
The lateral branches travel close to the surface, but their young ends lift towards the light. As those fans overlap, they create the cultivar’s characteristic tiers and relief.
03When should I water a newly planted ‘Nana’?
Soak the whole root area when the upper soil begins to dry, then let surplus water escape. Constant dampness around the woody base is more harmful than a brief moderate drying interval.
04Which pot shape best displays the creeping tiers?
Choose a broad, stable outdoor container with sharp drainage and enough width for the shoots to reach and pass over the rim.
05Is this cultivar suitable for bonsai training?
Yes. Dense branching, a creeping woody framework and naturally lifted tips offer excellent material for patient, selective development.
06Why can its colour bronze during winter?
Cold and bright conditions can add a light bronze cast to the blue-green foliage. Its usual colour returns as temperatures moderate.
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