These are very similar species, though garden centers typically offer many more varieties of Chinese juniper (J. chinensis) than they do common juniper. Common junipers tend to maintain their pointed, needle-shaped leaves as they grow older, while a mature Chinese juniper may gradually transform into more scale-like (though still pointed) leaves. The coating on the berries (cones) of common juniper is bluish in color, while Chinese juniper has a more whitish coating on the berries. Common juniper is better suited for colder climates, zones 2 to 7, while Chinese juniper is an excellent plant for warmer coastal areas, up to zone 9.