The upper side of the "olive" juniper hairstreak (C. g. gryneus) is tawny orange or a bronzy color in males, and blackish brown in females.

[2][3] "Sweadner's" juniper hairstreak (C. g. sweadneri) is very similar to the gryneus race except the two white postbasal spots are reduced.

[3][4] The underside of "Nelson's" juniper hairstreak (C. g. nelsoni) is brown with a violet sheen; the white postmedian line is faint, sometimes partial or absent; and the postbasal spots are lacking.

[3] "Muir's" juniper hairstreak (C. g. muiri) is similar to the nelsoni race except the underside of the wings are a darker brown with a purplish-greenish tint, and the postmedian line is partial to complete.

[3] "Thorne's juniper hairstreak (C. g. thornei) is quite similar to the loki race except it usually lacks green more often being a violet brown to a brownish gray color.

It is often more of a blue-green color, the postmedian line is edged with brown on both sides, and it has a white spot near the fore wing costa.

Aesthetically, C. gryneus differs significantly from C. xami in regards to the postmedian white line running across the butterfly wings as the juniper species lacks the sharp W mark, a distinctive feature of C. xami butterfly wings, in the postmedian white band.