PlantFiles: Hollywood Juniper, Twisted Juniper
Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa'

It's a trouble-free, low-maintenance backdrop for more colorful plants and a nice, thick privacy screen.

We have had 2 Hollywood Junipers for about 38 years. We are in Sunset Zone 17/15, on a hilltop where there is a good deal of wind. They were planted when about 3-4 ft tall. One is somewhat sheltered in a patio and is now about 18 ft tall with a canopy about 15 ft in diameter. This one has lifted some of the concrete squares from the patio a couple of inches. The other is at the edge of a windy hillside about 8 ft from a swimming pool and is now about 12-14 ft tall with 15 ft diameter canopy. Its roots have not invaded the retaining wall enclosing it on 2 sides or the swimming pool wall, I am glad to report.

About 20 years ago the centers were pruned to open them up and they have continued to transform into gorgeous trees with lovely twisting branches, somewhat resembling cedar in overall shape, but they do not break the way cedars do. We prune them out every few years to keep them in aerodynamic condition for winter storms, which can gust up to 90 mph and which have taken the roofs off of nearby buildings. Now that they are so large, they drop an impressive amount of juniper berries when the wind shakes them - plant downwind of pools - but are otherwise fairly tidy. When our very dry, brown summer temps go into the 100's in late summer/early fall, these trees are welcome sources of green shade.

Hollywood Junipers are slow-growing, low-growing, cedar-like trees. They grow in interesting twisted forms, and the needles have a very light pine smell, and they have little blue berries. They can take pretty heavy pruning, and can be planted closer to walls and buildings than most other trees. They're a good choice where space is at a premium. They make good cover for birds when the weather turns cold and windy. Unfortunately, I've read that they are not long-lived trees.