134936 Chinese Juniper Juniperus chinensis (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 18m. Large evergreen with dark-green foliage and a sparse habit when mature. BARK Reddish-brown, peeling in vertical strips. BRANCHES Level to ascending. LEAVES Young leaves needle-like, 8mm long with sharply pointed tips and 2 bluish stripes on upper surface; mostly in clusters of 3 at base of adult shoots, radiating at right-angles. Adult leaves small and scale-like, closely adpressed to shoot. Crushed leaves smell of cats. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones small, yellow; grow on tips of shoots. Female cones rounded, up to 7mm long, bluish-white at first, ripening purplish-brown in second year. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan and China, often planted in our region in parks, gardens and churchyards
