Juniperus chinensis 'Excelsa' / Spiny Greek Juniper

(Jacobson)

J. chinensis var. pyramidalis
= J. excelsa 'Stricata' (in part0
= J. densa glauca hort. U.S. (in part; cf. J. chinensis 'Densa Glauca')
= J. chinensis 'Pyramidalis' (in part; cf. J. chinensis 'Columnaris')
= J. chinensis 'Bleak House'
= J. chinensis 'Stricta'
= J. chinensis 'Excelsa'
= J. Sheppardii var. pyramidalis (Carr.) van Melle
= J. stricta hort.

SPINY GREEK JUNIPER. Very hardy. Inextricably confused with the comparatively tender and rare authentic GRECIAN JUNIPER (J. excelsa). Broadly columnar to conical, very dense. Foliage mostly juvenile, harshly prickly, grayish- to bluish-green or silver-gray. Needles 1/8" long -1/2" long, in trios. Male flowers predominate.
Records: 32' x 3'3" Arlington, WA (1995); 26'3'2" Tacoma, WA (1993).