Juniperus occidentalis
Robert L. Carr

Flora of Oregon

Trees monoecious or dioecious, to 20 m tall; mature crown rounded.

Trunks to 1 m in diameter; bark light reddish brown to brown, smooth when young, ridged and exfoliating in thin strips or plates when mature; branches spreading; branchlets erect.

Leaves of 2 kinds, the less numerous leaves needle-like, 3–6 mm long; scale-like leaves in whorls of 3, 1–3 mm long, light green, closely appressed, margins finely serrated; adaxial surface very resinous, concave; apex acute.

Pollen cones 2–4 mm long.

Seed cones maturing in 2 years, globose to nearly globose, bluish black, glaucous, resinous, 2–3-seeded.

Seeds 2–4 mm wide, brown, sharp pointed, grooved.

2n=22.

Dry, rocky soils, foothills, mountain slopes and bases. 100–2600 m. BR, BW, Col, ECas, Lava, Owy, Sisk. CA, ID, NV, WA. Native.

Juniperus occidentalis is the most common Juniper species in Oregon. This taxon is not widely harvested for its timber, however, it is used occasionally for fence posts, frewood, and carved, novelty artwork.

Flora of North America

as described under Juniperus occidentalis

Trees monoecious or dioecious, to 20(--30) m, single-stemmed; crown rounded to conical. Bark red-brown to brown, exfoliating in thin strips, that of small branchlets (5--10 mm diam.) smooth, that of larger branchlets exfoliating in scales or flakes. Branches spreading to ascending; branchlets erect, 3--4-sided in cross section, ca. 2/3 or less as wide as length of scalelike leaves. Leaves green, abaxial glands ovate to elliptic, conspicuous, with yellow or white exudate, margins denticulate (at 20´); whip leaves 3--6 mm, not glaucous adaxially; scalelike leaves 1--3 mm, not overlapping, rounded, apex acute to obtuse, appressed. Seed cones maturing in 2 years, of 2 distinct sizes, with straight peduncle, ovoid, 5--10 mm, blue to blue-black, glaucous, fleshy and resinous, with 2(--3) seeds. Seeds 2--4 mm.

Photo images

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Herbarium specimens

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