Hollywood Juniper (Juniperus Chinensis ‘Kaizuka’)

Features and Characteristics

Juniperus chinensis, commonly called Chinese juniper, is a dioecious evergreen conifer that is native to China, Japan, Mongolia and the Himalayas. It is often seen in the wild as a conical tree to 50’ tall and 20’ wide, but also appears in much shorter shrubby or spreading forms. Foliage is dark green. Brown bark on mature stems peels in strips. Although species plants are rarely sold in commerce, a large number of cultivated varieties ranging in size from large trees to large/small shrubs to low-growing groundcovers have become popular ornamental landscape plants. Chinese juniper leaves come in two types: scale-like (adult) and awl/needle-like (juvenile). Cones (pollen and seed-bearing) appear on different plants. Male plants produce catkin-like pollen cones. Female plants produce fleshy, berry-like, whitish-blue seed cones that usually acquire violet-brown tones as they mature over two years.

Genus name comes from the Latin name for the juniper.

Specific epithet means of China.

‘Kaizuka’ is an irregular upright female form that is grown as a shrub or small tree to 15-30′ tall and to 10-15′ wide. Shape can vary considerably from plant to plant. It features rich, scale-like, bright green foliage clustered on upright, slightly twisted shoots. ‘Kaizuka’ was introduced in the U. S. from Japan in 1920. It quickly became a popular landscape plant in the southwestern U. S. and California. Numerous plantings in Los Angeles led to the common name of Hollywood juniper. An improper attempt was made to assign the cultivar name of ‘Torulosa’ to this plant, and some authorities may list this plant as Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ rather than by the correct, original Japanese cultivar name. Juniperus chinensis ‘Kaizuka’ TORULOSA (as a trade name) is acceptable. Foliage is attractive throughout the year.