'Saybrook Gold' grows as a spreading, arching shrub with stiff branches with drooping tips. The gold needle foliage is a bright spot in the landscape as a specimen plant, but is also attractive in winter when it turns more bronze. It has a compact habit that can be maintained with pruning and generally grows 3 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Though it accepts many soil types, including clay, this shrub prefers full sun in medium moisture, well-drained average soils. Root rot may occur if planted in too wet, poorly drained areas, but can handle drought once it is established. This juniper is moderately tolerant to salt, air pollution, and resistant to Cedar-Apple Rust; it is particularly resistant to damage by deer. Use as a specimen or foundation plant or in an Asian, drought-tolerant or winter garden. 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 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 'Old Gold'Juniperus chinensis 'Parsonii'Juniperus chinensis 'Sea Green'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
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)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf feel
Prickly
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Needle-like foliage is bright yellow in summer, bronze-yellow in winter.
Fall color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
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
Unknown
Attracts
Songbirds
Play value
Colorful
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Small Space
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Drought Tolerant Garden; Winter Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Foundation Planting; Hedge; Specimen