How big does Chinese juniper grow?

About 2 m × 1 m after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 1–8 m × 1–4 m.

What soil does Chinese juniper grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, calcareous, acidic.

Is Chinese juniper hardy?

Hardy down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

How far from the house should Chinese juniper be planted?

Plant it at least 1 m from buildings. Keep it at least 0.5 m from paving.

How much water does Chinese juniper need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: high.

How much does Chinese juniper cost?

It sells for roughly €4 to €60 in local shops, depending on size.

Chinese juniper

Juniperus chinensis

Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis) is a shrub that reaches 2 m × 1 m after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -34 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Sold in local shops from about €4.

Illustration of Chinese juniper — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A tough evergreen that takes full sun and fairly dry soil, sold in gardens as cultivars: slim cones, loose upright shrubs and wide spreading forms with blue or green foliage. They stay much smaller than the 15 to 20 metre tree of its homeland, reaching about 2 metres tall and 1 metre wide in ten years and eventually 1 to 8 metres depending on the cultivar. Good as a specimen or for screening, but keep it away from pear trees because it hosts pear rust, and it will not stand waterlogged soil.

Watch out for

It is one of the main hosts of pear rust (Gymnosporangium sabinae): the fungus overwinters in juniper branches, causes spindle-shaped swellings that push out orange, jelly-like spore masses in wet spring weather, and from there infects nearby pear trees (bright orange spots on the leaves in summer). If you or your neighbours grow pears, choose something else, and cut out swollen branches. In Central Europe the juniper jewel beetle has also become a serious threat in recent years: its larvae tunnel under the bark, shoots suddenly turn yellow, branches die one after another and oval exit holes appear in the bark; it mostly attacks drought-stressed plants, so remove infested branches and water in long dry spells. Tip blight can occur in wet springs and root rot in wet soil, and scale insects and aphids turn up now and then.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 2 m × 1 m
Hardiness: down to -34 °C
Foliage: Evergreen

Group	Shrub
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	2 m × 1 m
Ultimate size	1–8 m × 1–4 m
Hardiness	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Calcareous, Acidic
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	no data
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	at least 1 m
Distance from paving	at least 0.5 m
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	150 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	Mildly toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	from about €4

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
under 30 cm	approx. €8
30-60 cm	approx. €14
size not stated	approx. €6.90 – €8.90

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Shrubs for part shade Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant shrubs Plants for screening Evergreen plants Low-maintenance shrubs Plants for a Mediterranean garden

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Chinese juniper vs Common juniper Chinese juniper vs Eastern red cedar Chinese juniper vs Lawson cypress

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