Chinese Juniper Shrubs

Although the original species, Juniperus chinensis, develops into a medium- to large-sized tree, you are unlikely to encounter the species itself in typical garden centers or nurseries. Instead, most available Chinese junipers are shrubs or smaller trees that have been developed as cultivars of the original species.

Taller Chinese juniper varieties are useful for creating privacy screens and hedges, and they can also be incorporated into shrub borders. Compact, low-growing cultivars are well suited to foundation plantings and groundcover applications, while they can also add structure and texture to perennial borders.

Caring for Chinese Juniper

Chinese junipers grow best in moist, well-draining soil, but they are highly adaptable and can perform well in a wide range of conditions as long as they receive plenty of sunlight. These plants handle drought more successfully than consistently wet soil, so excessive moisture should be avoided.

Keep the soil consistently moist while newly planted junipers are becoming established. Once the plants are well rooted and actively growing, they require very little attention and are generally easy to maintain.

You can make their care even simpler by checking the mature height and spread listed on the plant label before choosing a cultivar. Selecting a variety that naturally fits the available space means there will be little reason to prune it later. Chinese junipers naturally develop attractive forms and generally look best when allowed to grow according to their natural shape.

They do not respond well to heavy pruning, and severe cutting can damage their appearance and health. When planted in an area that is too small for their mature size, they may require trimming, but they generally look better when given enough room to develop naturally.

Chinese Juniper Groundcovers

Many Chinese juniper cultivars used as groundcovers are hybrids created by crossing J. chinensis with J. sabina. The most widely used groundcover selections typically reach only about 2 to 4 feet (61 cm to 1 m) in height while spreading 4 feet (1 m) or more across the ground.

If you want to grow Chinese juniper as a groundcover, several cultivars are particularly suitable.

‘Procumbens’, also called Japanese garden juniper, reaches about 2 feet (61 cm) in height but can spread as much as 12 feet (4 m). Its firm, horizontally spreading branches are covered with fine, blue-green foliage that gives the plant a soft, wispy appearance.

‘Emerald Sea’ and ‘Blue Pacific’ belong to a group known as Shore Junipers. These varieties grow approximately 12 to 18 inches (31–46 cm) tall and can spread 6 feet (2 m) or more. Their ability to tolerate salt makes them especially useful for planting in coastal environments.

‘Gold Coast’ grows to around 3 feet (1 m) tall and approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) wide. Its most distinctive feature is its unusual foliage, which has a warm golden coloration.