Juniperus x media 'Pfitzeriana Aurea' (Golden Pfitzer Juniper)
Michael's Opinion
A once common Juniper cultivar that is rarely used today because of its large size. Its foliage emerges a soft yellow in the spring transforming to a lime green in autumn and arching branches can make it a great accent feature.
Botanical Information
| Family | Cupressaceae |
| Genus | Juniperus |
| Species | x media |
| Cultivar | 'Pfitzeriana Aurea' |
| Synonyms | J. chinensis 'Pfitzeriana Aurea', J. x pfitzeriana 'Pfitzeriana Aurea' |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
| References | Gelderen, D. M., and Hoey Smith, J. R. P. van. Conifers : "The Illustrated Encyclopedia" / Text by D.M. Van Gelderen ; Photographs by J.R.P. Van Hoey Smith. Published in cooperation with the Royal Boskoop Horticultural Society by Timber Press, 1996. |
| Origin | Juniperus x media is a cross between J. chinensis and J. sabina. 'Aurea' means golden in Latin. |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 3 - 9 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 5 - 8 |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -35 |
| Temperature (°F) | -30 |
| Height | 1.5 - 3 m |
| Spread | 1.5 - 3 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | March |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | A dense, hardy shrub, with young shoots turning golden yellow, and branching out at a 30° angle. |
| ID Characteristic | Branches emerge at a 30° angle, and are golden yellow in summer. |
| Shape | Semi-wide spreading, slightly upright branching. |
| Landscape | Use on its own for its colour, as hedging, screens, or mass plantings. |
| Propagation | Use hardwood cuttings, 5 - 25 cm in length, and a rooting hormone. Mist the cuttings to prevent drying out. |
| Cultivation | Full sun to partial shade; pH adaptable; moist, well drained soils; dry soils once established. |
| Pests | Cedar-apple rust, caterpillars, leaf miner, aphids, mites, scale, and twig blight. |
| Notable Specimens | Pinafore Park St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Grey brown, peels off in strips. |
| Leaf Description | Scale-like, green-yellow-gold, young leaves are awl shaped. |
| Flower Description | Staminate flowers. |
| Fruit Description | ‘Berry like,' fleshy cones, 7 - 11 mm in diameter, that contain 2 - 5 seeds, rarely seen. |
| Colour Description | Yellow to green in winter and yellow to gold in summer. |
| Texture Description | Medium. |