- Mature height
- 4m to 6m (approx.)
- Mature width
- 1m to 2m
Juniperus chinensis 'Spartan', sold as Spartan Juniper, is an evergreen conifer with a naturally columnar, upright habit. The fine scale-like foliage is a deep rich green and holds that colour through every season. It forms a dense, narrow column without training, which is what makes it such a dependable vertical element.
Grow it in full sun in free-draining soil. It suits temperate, Mediterranean, cool inland and coastal gardens, and handles light to moderate frost once established. Growth runs 30 to 50 centimetres a year, and mature plants reach 4 to 6 metres tall and 1 to 2 metres wide. Drought tolerance is good after the first two summers.
Landscapers use it as a screen along boundaries, as a formal avenue, and as a pair framing a doorway or gate. The narrow footprint means it screens a fence line without stealing garden bed depth. Planted at close spacing it makes a hedge that needs almost no clipping to stay tidy.
After a clipped shape instead? This listing is the natural columnar form, for hedging, screening, avenues and feature planting. For pre-trained standards, double balls and triple balls ready to place, see Juniperus chinensis 'Spartan' - Topiary Forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Spartan Juniper
What is Spartan Juniper?
Spartan Juniper is the cultivar Juniperus chinensis 'Spartan', an evergreen conifer grown for its dense columnar shape and deep green scale-like foliage. It holds a narrow upright outline on its own, so it reads as a clean vertical without shaping. It is not an Australian native, though it has been grown here for decades in gardens and commercial landscapes.
How big does Spartan Juniper grow?
Mature height is 4 to 6 metres with a width of 1 to 2 metres. It keeps the same narrow column at every stage, so a young plant gives a fair picture of the adult shape. In a container, or anywhere the roots are restricted, it will sit at the lower end of that range.
How fast does it grow?
Expect roughly 30 to 50 centimetres of height a year in good conditions, which is moderate to fast for a conifer. Growth is quickest through spring and autumn and slows in the heat of midsummer. Regular water and a free-draining soil in the first two years make the biggest difference to the rate.
Does it need sun or shade?
Full sun gives the best result. Six hours or more of direct light a day keeps the foliage dense right to the base and holds the colour deep green. In part shade the plant survives but opens up and thins on the shaded side, which spoils the even column that makes it useful.
How far apart should I plant it for a hedge or screen?
Plant at 1 to 1.5 metres apart for a dense informal screen, or 80 centimetres apart for a tighter formal hedge. For a feature or specimen give it 3 to 4 metres so the form develops fully, and space avenue plantings at 3 metres for an even rhythm along a drive.
Is it frost tolerant?
Yes. It handles light to moderate frost once established, which covers most of the cooler inland and tablelands areas where it is planted. Young plants in their first winter benefit from shelter in a hard frost pocket. Frost damage, when it happens, shows as browning on the outer foliage rather than the loss of the plant.
How do I care for Spartan Juniper?
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first two summers, then only in extended dry spells. Feed with a slow release fertiliser in early spring. Keep mulch clear of the trunk to avoid collar rot. Light trimming in spring or autumn tidies the outline, but avoid cutting into old bare wood because junipers do not reshoot from it.
