Parson's Juniper

Juniperus chinensis 'Parsonii'

Zones: 4a to 9b

Low Spreading Groundcover
Drought-Tolerant

Pet & Human Safety

People: Not researchedPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them

Hazardous parts

Not yet checked.

Preparation

Not applicable. Not a food plant

Hazard type

The NC State page lists no poison information. That is not a statement that the plant is safe.

Hazard route

Not yet checked.

How complete this information is

We have not researched the safety of this plant yet.

Toxic to pets

No ASPCA entry found.

No ingestion-toxicity claim found from either ASPCA or NC State Extension. NC State's page does carry a "contact dermatitis" tag, suggesting the foliage or sap may irritate skin on contact for some people: a mechanical/contact caution, not a confirmed ingestion toxicity, and not yet corroborated by a second source for this specific cultivar.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

Get the app: coming soon

Care

Hardiness zones: USDA zones 4a to 9b
Mature size: As a spreading groundcover cultivar, typically 2-3 feet tall and considerably wider; the species overall ranges from 1-2 feet to 50-60 feet depending on the cultivar (NC State Extension, species-level range).
Family: Cupressaceae (cypress family)
Where it comes from: Eastern Asia, including China, Mongolia, Japan, and the Himalayas (NC State Extension, species-level).

Soil & Drainage

Pruning & Flush Rhythm

Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

Get the app: coming soon