Juniperus pingii Hulsdonk Yellow

Juniperus pingii 'Hulsdonk Yellow' is a dwarf variety of juniper with a very graphic conical habit. Its young shoots are lemon yellow before turning green as they age, giving it a very decorative appearance all year round. With its slow growth, this small conifer is ideal for decorating a sunny rockery. Hardy and adaptable to most soils, even poor ones, it only dislikes excessive water and pronounced drought. A real gem for small spaces as well as contemporary gardens where its design will work wonders. 

The Pingii juniper gets its name from its Chinese origin. It is a species that was named quite recently (around 1940) and is believed to be closely related to J. squamata. In nature, this juniper forms a pyramidal shrub that can reach up to 6m (19ft 8in) in height. It has a decorative appearance with its slightly pendulous branches and beautiful peeling bark. Its needles are small, about 3 to 3.5mm long and only 1mm wide. It belongs to the Cupressaceae family, just like its cousins Thuja, Cypress, and Chamaecyparis.

This 'Hulsdonk Yellow' variety is quite different from the species, especially in terms of its small size. After about ten years of planting, this small conifer will reach a height of 1m and a width of only 60cm, the result of a very slow annual growth of a few centimetres. It takes on a beautiful conical shape, very graphic, thanks to the density of its fine foliage. Above all, it shines with the colour of its young shoots, a surprising lemon yellow, standing out well against the slightly greener centre. These shoots do indeed turn green as they age, creating an aesthetic scene all year round due to the persistence of its foliage. Despite its small size, this juniper is not fragile as it is hardy (up to -20°C). It is a low-maintenance plant that does not require pruning and offers a remarkable visual impact. 

This cute little conifer can easily be grown in a decorative container to enhance a balcony or terrace. In this case, watering should be monitored as these growing conditions are more drying than in open ground. In the garden, it will be well-placed in a rockery, in full sun, taking care to surround it with other slow-growing plants so as not to hinder its growth, such as the Pinus mugo 'Picobello', a prostrate dwarf mountain pine with green needles.
Its highly architectural habit and bright colour will also be valuable in a contemporary garden around a villa with modern forms. It can thus be part of a topiary arrangement, these "vegetal sculptures" that highlight volumes to create three-dimensional effects. In a more classic flower bed, it can also be associated with shrubs of different shapes or colours, such as the superb Physocarpus opulifolius 'Burgundy Candy' with purple foliage and a dwarf habit. Choisya 'White Dazzler', a miniature Mexican orange with dark green leaves, will also nicely contrast with the lemon yellow of our little conifer, while filling the air with its sweet fragrance. The small Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Lacey Blue' with its greyish foliage will also accompany 'Hulsdonk Yellow' with elegance without risking suffocation, adding the attraction of a bountiful azure blue flowering.