Juniperus chinensis (jew-NIP-er-us chi-NEN-sis SAN ho-ZAY)
Family: CupressaceaeNon-nativeHerbaceous (1-3 ft)
Herbaceous (1-3 ft)Non-native
'San Jose' is a dense, low-growing, evergreen shrub in the cypress family native to Asia. It grows in a prostrate, mat-like groundcover with long trailing branches that are spreading and upward reaching. It is 6-8 feet wide at maturity and 1-1.5 feet tall. The soft needle to scale-like foliage is sage green and attractive year-round. This plant tolerates a variety of conditions such as drought, many types of pH values and soil, including clay and rocky soil, but prefers a medium, well-drained soil. It grows best in a sunny location but can take partial shade. It is resistant to damage from deer, salt, and air pollution while being effective in erosion control. Use this plant as a groundcover or on slopes and banks. It provides winter interest. It has been used as a bonsai Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Tip and needle blight can affect this plant. Cedar-apple rust is an issue for most junipers. Insure good drainage to avoid root rot. 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 chinensis .
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.
Fills a similar nicheJuniperus chinensis 'Parsonii'Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Forest'Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf feel
Prickly
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Awl-shaped sage-green leaves loosely pressed to the stem. Grown for its foliage.
Flower detail
No flowers, but cones are large and brown and fall apart upon maturity. Female cones are blue fleshy "berry" looking.
Fruit detail
No true fruits, but female cones are blue, fleshy "berry" looking and edible, often used as a seasoning.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, Mongolia, Japan, Himalayas
Play value
Colorful
Food & Medicine
Uses (ethnobotany)
Ground cover, erosion control
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Slope/Bank
Design feature
Accent; Border; Foundation Planting; Mass Planting