Juniperus x pfitzeriana Kuriwao Gold D

Juniperus x media 'Kuriwao Gold', is also marketed under the names of Juniperus virginiana, Juniperus chinensis or Juniperus x pfitzeriana 'Kuriwao Gold'.  It is a hybrid juniper which is not widely available. It is interesting for its rapid growth, average size and its ability to form beautiful groundcover or be displayed as a specimen plant in a small garden.  It has attractive golden-green foliage all year round. With its bright foliage even in winter, this variety is superb on a large slope, or even in a small hedge. It lends itself well to pruning and to the art of bonsai.  Juniperus x media are extraordinary bushes, with a vigorous, undemanding nature and almost an unmatched beauty. 

Juniperus x media 'Kuriwao Gold', is part of a group of rather old hybrids, mainly derived from Juniperus chinensis, the Chinese juniper. It's a very hardy and very ornamental variety belonging to the cypress family, like its parents.

Juniper 'Kuriwao Gold' forms into a beautiful shrub after a few years with a spread and shape that is more or less similar to a squashed and stocky pyramid measuring around 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in height with a spread of 3 m (9 ft 10 in). It grows quite slowly when it's a young plant, at the rate of 10 cm (3.9 in) in height and 5 cm (2 in) in width in a year. The growth significantly accelerates as it ages. Its foliage is made up of small, very tight, yellow-green scaly leaves that release a smell when rubbed, which some people find unpleasant. The fruits that form on the female plants are berries known as galbulus; they are bluish-black and rich in therapeutic properties. Junipers have a shallow root system that makes them fragile in strong winds, and difficult to associate with perennials.

Juniper 'Kuriwao Gold' is a hardy and bright conifer that is popular in the garden for its ease of cultivation, its superb habit and its bright foliage. It is perfect everywhere. Its adult dimensions should be taken into account when planting it as a specimen, on a slope, in a large rockery, or even planted in a group of 3 in a large shrub bed, mixed with conifers with different habits and leaves. The geometric qualities of the conifers naturally work well in a contemporary garden, which is designed according to shapes, silhouettes and textures. Use these structured plants to mark paths, border a terrace or replacing pruned boxwood or holly. They combine well with mahonias, or with grasses which like a similar environment. They can also be associated with undemanding dry shade-loving perennials such as periwinkles, Euphorbia amygdaloides purpurea, epimediums or Trachystemon orientalis. The best results are achieved by playing with volume and colour.