Plant Profile: Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold'

Names

Saybrook Gold Juniper

  • Photo of Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' (Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold's)

Phonetic Spelling:jew-NIP-er-us chi-NEN-sis

Genus:Juniperus

Species:chinensis

Family:Cupressaceae

The 'Saybrook Gold' is a sprawling, arching shrub characterized by its rigid branches that feature drooping tips. Its vibrant gold needle foliage serves as a striking focal point in the garden, and it remains visually appealing in winter when it shifts to a bronze hue. Reaching a maximum height of 3 feet and spreading up to 6 feet, this shrub maintains a compact form that can be easily shaped through pruning.

While it can thrive in various soil types, including clay, 'Saybrook Gold' flourishes best in full sunlight with medium moisture and well-drained, average soils. It is susceptible to root rot if planted in overly wet or poorly drained conditions, but once established, it can withstand drought. This juniper exhibits moderate tolerance to salt and air pollution, is resistant to Cedar-Apple Rust, and shows notable resilience against deer damage.

For further details on Juniperus chinensis, please refer to additional resources.

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Feature Summary

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#low growing
#salt tolerant
#low maintenance
#air pollution tolerant
#erosion control
#ncemgva2018
#foundation planting
#gold needles
#dry soils tolerant
#partial shade tolerant
#yellow needles

Similar Plants

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Feature Summary

Fruit
No true fruits, but female cones are blue, fleshy "berry" looking and edible, often used as a seasoning.
Flowers
No flowers, but cones are large and brown and fall apart upon maturity. Female cones are blue fleshy "berry" looking.
Leaves
Needle-like foliage is bright yellow in summer, bronze-yellow in winter.
Gold/Yellow
Brown/Copper
Gold/Yellow
Needles
Prickly
Whole Plant Traits
Arching
Spreading
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Moist
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Asian Garden
Border
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Accent
Specimen
Drought
Deer
Pollution
Salt
Diseases
Songbirds

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Attributes

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Deer, Cedar-Apple Rust,

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Fruit

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Fruit Description

No true fruits, but female cones are blue, fleshy "berry" looking and edible, often used as a seasoning.

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Flowers

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Flower Description

No flowers, but cones are large and brown and fall apart upon maturity. Female cones are blue fleshy "berry" looking.

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Leaves

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Leaf Description

Needle-like foliage is bright yellow in summer, bronze-yellow in winter.

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Brown/Copper
spa
Gold/Yellow

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Whole Plant Traits

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Cultural Conditions

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Stem

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold' Landscape

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Juniperus chinensis 'Saybrook Gold': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees