Juniperus coxii

Following leaf drop, the treescape of the Gardens is transformed with the ethereal beauty of the bare branches. And now the evergreens, especially the conifers, take centre stage, their shapes, colours and forms enhancing the Gardens’ vistas.

Juniperus coxii, recently cleared of surplus vegetation, makes a very ornamental, graceful little tree of pendulous bright green leaves in whorls of three, with reddish, shredding bark. Known as Cox’s drooping juniper or the coffin juniper, it comes from Myanmar and west Yunnan on the cool upland slopes of the Himalayan foothills. The fragrant, dense, uniform wood, slow to rot, has been much exploited as a coffin wood. Now few if any larger trees remain. Wood and foliage are burned for incense in Buddhist temples.

This species requires more cool and moist conditions than most of the 70 species of juniper; those may become useful in future, being hardy, drought tolerant and photosynthesising year round.

J. coxii was introduced into western cultivation in 1920 by Euan Cox who took part in an expedition with Reginald Farrer.

It grows in the Rock and Water Garden, Area H on the downloadable map.