Juniperus communis var. depressa ‘Hitchcock’ Reference still sometimes met under the

still sometimes met under the old name Osmanthus ilicifolius

stretching the summersweet season and the fragrance deep into the late-summer garden

and site the shrub away from where small children or livestock might nibble

untroubled by clay or standing water as long as the soil stays acid

prized for a heavier yield of fragrant oil than either parent alone

Juniperus communis var. depressa ‘Hitchcock’ Reference still sometimes met under theJuniperus communis, the common juniper, is the most widespread conifer in the world, a circumboreal shrub of northern latitudes and high elevations, and the source of the aromatic berries that flavor gin. The variety depressa is the low, ground hugging North American form, a prostrate mat of prickly, blue green needles. 'Hitchcock' is a Woodlanders selection of that low form, and hangs on one of the more remarkable botanical stories in the Southeast.