Plant Profile: Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa'

Names

Parson's Juniper

  • Photo of Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' (Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa's)

Phonetic Spelling:jew-NIP-er-us sa-BY-nuh duh-VUR-ih-kah

Genus:Juniperus

Species:sabina

Family:Cupressaceae

This resilient and robust evergreen juniper variety features long, spreading, slender branches, reaching heights of 2 to 3 feet and extending up to 9 feet in width. It exhibits remarkable heat resistance and can thrive in moderate shade. Adaptable to a range of soil types, from acidic to slightly alkaline, it also demonstrates salt tolerance. Particularly well-suited for the challenging, humid conditions of the coastal southeastern United States, this variety maintains its vibrant sage green hue throughout the year, showing virtually no color change even in colder temperatures. It serves multiple purposes, functioning effectively as an evergreen foreground plant, an accent piece, a low-growing ground cover along borders or rocky slopes, and as a foundation plant, provided it receives at least four hours of direct sunlight daily. Additionally, it is beneficial for erosion control, especially on steep inclines. For optimal ground coverage, full sun exposure is essential. This plant is easy to transplant and is generally free from significant pest or disease issues. It is a relatively fast grower, capable of reaching 2 to 3 feet within two growing seasons. This variety was introduced in 1862 from Japan by Parson's Nursery in New York.

 

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Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Feature Summary

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#heat tolerant
#drought tolerant
#green
#shade tolerant
#salt tolerant
#low maintenance
#accent plant
#berries
#erosion control
#fast growing
#cpp
#mounding
#transplant
#deer resistant
#blue-green leaves
#foundation planting
#groundcover
#coastal plants
#borders
#fantz
#japanese

Similar Plants

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Feature Summary

Attributes
Mature plants produce juniper berries, which are eaten by birds & other forms of wildlife.
Fruit
Fruits produced by this plant are berry-like, globose, purple-brown with glaucous coating, and 1/4" in diameter.
Purple/Lavender
Leaves
Leaves can either be awl or scale. They are a gray-sage green color with prominent glaucous markings around overlapping edges of adjacent scales (that are alligator/reptilian-like).
Green
Blue
Stem
Stems are stout. Rigid primary stems grow horizontally above the ground forming a mound. Secondary branches form attractive, flat, dense sprays.
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Native Plant
Ground Cover
Mounding
Spreading
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Border
Foundation Planting
Accent
Songbirds

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Attributes

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Country Or Region Of Origin

Japan

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Wildlife Value

Mature plants produce juniper berries, which are eaten by birds & other forms of wildlife.

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Fruit

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Fruit Description

Fruits produced by this plant are berry-like, globose, purple-brown with glaucous coating, and 1/4" in diameter.

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Fruit Color

grass
Purple/Lavender

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Fruit Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Leaves

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Leaf Description

Leaves can either be awl or scale. They are a gray-sage green color with prominent glaucous markings around overlapping edges of adjacent scales (that are alligator/reptilian-like).

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Stem

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Stem Description

Stems are stout. Rigid primary stems grow horizontally above the ground forming a mound. Secondary branches form attractive, flat, dense sprays.

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Whole Plant Traits

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Cultural Conditions

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Soil Drainage

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

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa' Landscape

Juniperus sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': 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 sabina var. davurica 'Expansa': Attracts

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