‘Gold Cone’ is an upright, columnar, slow-growing, evergreen cultivar in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family. Spring foliage is bright golden yellow with good color retention through early fall. Winter foliage is blue-green. The shrub grows 3-5 feet tall with a 1-2 foot spread. It is tolerant of many soil types and prefers moist well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. The best color occurs in full sun. Use in cottage and rock gardens, as a specimen, in foundation plantings or even a container on the patio. The attractive lush looking needles provide winter interest and it works well planted along a border or surrounding a lawn. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Insects that may damage this juniper include bagworms, webworms, and scale. Blight and rust issues are common on junipers The Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center has a factsheet on common juniper diseases and insect pests. More information on Juniperus communis var. communis .
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 nicheChamaecyparis obtusa 'Kosteri'Juniperus communis 'Echiniformis'Salvia rosmarinus
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet; 3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Columnar; Dense; Erect
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Needles
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Awl-shaped new growth is bright gold in the spring. It fades to bluish-green in winter.
Flower detail
No flowers.
Fruit detail
No fruits, cones.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Lawn
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Fairy Garden; Rock Garden; Winter Garden