Habitat

• zone 5
• native to sea coast of Japan

Habit and Form

• dense, evergreen shrub
• branches very flexible
• 1' to 2' tall and 6' to 9' wide
• slow growth
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• awl-shaped needles, held in 3's
• needles tend to overlap
• needle tip sharply pointed
• concave needles with a white band on upper-side with a green line running through the middle
• bright blue-green color

Autumn Foliage

• evergreen, no fall color
• needles turn somewhat yellow in cold months

Flowers

• dioecious
• no ornamental value

Fruit

• 3-seeded cone
• 0.33" to 0.5" in diameter
• dark blue to black in color
• abundant

Bark

• reddish brown
• hard to see because of overlapping needles

Culture

• easily transplanted
• grows well in sandy soils
• full sun
• does not like moist soil conditions
• salt tolerant

Landscape Use

• allow to hang over walls
• roadside planting
• seaside plantings
• groundcover
• erosion control
• planters
• mass plantings

Liabilities

• dies back in wet soil conditions
• hardiness is questionable in zone 5 and colder

ID Features

• often confused with J. communis, but J. communis has a white stomatal line that is broader than the green margin, white J. conferta has a green line down the middle of a narrow white stomatal line.
• needles are in 3's
• needles pointed
• loose and floppy branches
• blue-green summer color

Propagation

• by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Blue Pacific' - This is the most common form, featuring blue-green foliage and a tight habit less than 1' tall and spreading wide to form a groundcover. It appears to be slightly more hardy than the species.

'Emerald Sea' - A U.S. National Arboretum introduction growing larger than 'Blue Pacific' (to 2' tall and 10' wide), this plant is hardier than the species and salt tolerant. It has a looser habit than 'Blue Pacific'.

'Irozam' (Iron Age™) - This new selection is marketed for its purported tolerance of harsh, dry conditions and salt exposure. It has a slightly more upright growth, to 12" tall and 6' wide.

'Silver Mist' (same as 'Shiro Toshio') - This new form is exceptional for its dense, silvery blue-green foliage and compact dense habit to 16" tall. The foliage develops a slight purple cast in winter.

'Sunsplash' (perhaps the same as 'Variegata' and 'Akebono') - A variegated form that appears ready to enter the mainstream, this plant features bluish green foliage with random sections of gold-yellow needles. The variegation appears to persist from year to year and remains fresh in all seasons.