Chinese Juniper

Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae) is a highly variable evergreen conifer native to China, Mongolia, and Japan. Depending on the cultivar, it ranges from dwarf groundcovers to large trees potentially reaching 70 feet. The foliage is pungent, with juvenile leaves awl-shaped (about 8 mm) and adult leaves scale-like, arranged in four ranks; both leaf types often appear on the same plant. Bark is brown and exfoliating.

Chinese juniper tolerates part shade and a range of soil conditions but performs best in moist, acidic soils (pH 4.5 to 6.0). Once established, it is drought, deer, and erosion tolerant. The extensive cultivar list spans many forms: 'Pfitzeriana' (5 feet, spreading), 'Torulosa' / Hollywood juniper (20 to 30 feet, twisted), 'Keteleeri' (15 to 20 feet, pyramidal), 'Blue Point', 'Spartan', and the dwarf 'Daniels Dwarf' (1 to 2 feet). The species carries heavy pest and disease pressure, including 12 documented diseases (rust, Phytophthora root rot, Phomopsis twig blight, canker) and 11 pests (juniper scale, spruce spider mite, webworm, cypress tip moth). Hardy in Zones 3a to 8b.