Virginia Tech Dendrology

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. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information