Chinese juniper Cupressaceae Juniperus chinensis L. symbol: JUCH4 Leaf: Evergreen, two types, adult foliage scale-like in opposite pairs, appressed closely to twig, juvenile foliage awl or short needle-like (1/4 inch), dark green to blue-green (some cultivars have yellow foliage). Flower: Species is dioecious; males light yellow, small (1/4 inch) at tips of branches, females also yellowish, round, and at tips of branches, appearing in spring. Fruit: Small, round cones (1/3 inch across), nearly smooth, bluish white later turning brown. Twig: Slender, covered in green foliage for several years, later turning brown as foliage dies. Bark: Gray-brown and very shreddy and peelng, reddish brown patches may be present where bark has peeled. Form: There are numerous cultivated forms. Most commonly a small sprawling bush or tree reaching up to 10 feet in height. Looks like: common juniper - western juniper - Utah juniper - eastern redcedar Additional Range Information: Juniperus chinensis is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and is not known to widely escape cultivaton. External Links: USDA Plants Database Horticulture © Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson