A hybrid cross between I and J. sabina. 'Gold Coast" is a needled evergreen shrub with a slow, compact, spreading growth habit. It has golden needles that are attractive year-round and grows up to 4' high and 4'-6' wide. This plant prefers full sun and moist, well-drained soil. It is pH adaptable, tolerates some shade, and is easily transplanted. It is intolerant of salt and has some pest and disease problems. This plant works well in mass planting, in foundation planting, as a specimen plant, and has a slow to medium growth rate. Its gold color lasts well into winter, particularly in sunny locations. Quick ID Hints: Juvenile leaves are awl shaped and golden yellow Adult leaves are scale-like in 4 ranks. They are green to blue-green to gray-green with lighter margin. Produces female cones that are berry-like, tiny, globose, and glaucous. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: See the "Pests of Conifers" fact sheet to the left. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests. More information on Juniperus x pfitzeriana .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Spreading
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf size
< 1 inch long
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Juvenile leaves are awl shaped and golden yellow. They are 1/3" long and are in opposite pairs or whorls of 3. Juvenile leaves have 2 glaucous bands, a green midrib above, and a spiny apex. Adult leaves are scale-like in 4 ranks. Opposite pairs are closely pressed and overlapping. Adult leaves are short, convex, have a blunt apex, are green to blue-green to gray-green with a lighter margin, and have a glandular depression on the back.
Flower detail
Non-flowering
Fruit color
Blue; Gray/Silver
Fruit detail
Produces cones, not fruits, that are berry-like, tiny, globose, and glaucous.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Winter Garden
Design feature
Foundation Planting; Hedge; Mass Planting; Specimen