Juniper Tree: Hardy Evergreen with Cultural Significance

Eastern Red Cedar

admin — Sat, 30 May 2020 13:15:01 +0000

Eastern red cedar, commonly called the red cedar, eastern juniper, pencil cedar, and red juniper, is a species of dense, slow-growing conifers that belong to the genus Juniperus of the family Cupressaceae. Known for its graceful appearance and being incredibly strong for its small to medium size, the red cedar is found in the eastern and northern states of America. The two varieties of eastern red cedar include Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana or eastern juniper (distinguished by larger cones, acute scale leaves at the apex, and reddish brown bark) and Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola or southern juniper (characterized by smaller cones, blunt scale leaves at the apex, and orange-brown bark).

Eastern Red Cedar

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
*Clade*	Tracheophytes
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Cupressaceae
Genus	Juniperus
Section	Juniperus sect. Sabina
Scientific Name	Juniperus virginiana

Eastern Red Cedar Tree

Eastern Red Cedar Leaf

Quick Information

Tree Type	Evergreen coniferous
Identification	Height: 16-66 ft on average, rarely grows up to 89-90 ft Leaves: Sharp, needle-like juvenile leaves, about 5-10 mm long, andscale-like, tightly pressed adult leaves, about 2-4 mm long Trunk Diameter: 12-39 inches on average, but some specimens can measure up to 67 inches Bark: Reddish-brown, fibrous, peels off in thin strips Cones: Males are 2-3 mm long, 1.5 mm broad; females are dark purple-blue, berry-like, 3-7 mm long Seeds: Wingless Branches: Drooping Crown: Dense, pyramid shaped
Distribution	Canada and the eastern United States; from Nova Scotia to Ontario,across the northern Great Plains through eastern Texas, northern Florida and then to the Atlantic coast
Habitat	Rocky ridgetops, dry uplands, abandoned farmlands, prairies, grasslands, low mountains, Piedmont regions
USDA Hardiness Zone	2 to 9
Growth Rate	Slow to medium rate, height increases at the rate of 13-24 inches annually
Lifespan	Typically 100-300 years, but the oldest red cedar lived for 940 years
Growing Conditions	Sunlight: Requires full sun; should get a minimum six hours of unfiltered, direct sunlight Soil: Alkaline, acidic, loamy, sandy, moist, well-drained, clay Water: Moderate rainfall, can withstand sporadic flooding
Drought Tolerance	Excellent
Diseases & Pests	Diseases include twig and tip blight, cedar-apple rust, and Phytophthora root rot; some common pests are spruce spider mites, juniperscales, and bagworms
Reproductive System	Usually dioecious, which means seed and pollen cones appear on separate trees
Propagation	Through stem cuttings
Wildlife Value	Its foliage provides roosting and nesting site for robins, sparrows, juncos, warblers, and mockingbirds; the twigs and foliage serve as food source for browsers and the fruits are eaten by cedar waxwings
Uses	The fine-grained, fragrant heartwood is used for building fence posts, it is in great demand for making closets and chests, ideal for making flatbows, longbows, and sinew-backed bows, juniper essential oil is obtained from the twigs, leaves, and wood, its cones are used a a flavoring agent in gin, it is used as a Christmas tree in the Oklahoma, Arkansas Ozarks, and Missouri
IUCN Conservation Status	Its population has been increasing and the species is listed as ‘LeastConcern’

Eastern Red Cedar Juniper

Eastern Red Cedar Bonsai

Interesting Facts

In several places, the eastern red cedar is regarded as an invasive species. Since it does not tolerate fire, it was earlier controlled by occasional forest fires.
The red cedar originated during the ancient era when aboriginal Americans existed. Fossil evidence has shown that it occurred in large parts of the continent.
The pollen of eastern red cedar is an allergen, but less potent than that of Ashe juniper. Contact with the red cedar’s wood or leaves can cause mild skin irritations in some people.

Eastern Red Cedar Berries

Eastern Red Cedar Bark

References

The post Eastern Red Cedar appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

Alligator Juniper

Sahana Kanjilal — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 09:22:19 +0000

The perennial species belonging to the Cupressaceae family is a coniferous tree. Bloomed throught January to March the tree has a triangle shape top with an interesting bark texture.

Alligator Juniper

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Cupressaceae
Genus	Juniperus
Scientific Name	Juniperus deppeana

Alligator Juniper Tree

Alligator Juniper Images

Quick Information

Other Names	Checkerbark Juniper, mountain, oak-barked or thickbark cedar, tláxcal or tlascal, western juniper, sabino, aworíki and agoriza
Types	Eergreen
Identification	Size:20-48 ft (6.1-15 m) of height sometimes 65 ft (20m) Bark: Dark grayish brown Needles: (leaves): Scale-like leaves, 1.5 mm in width and 2.5 mm in length Cones: Orange-brown berry-like cones with a whitish waxy coating, 5-15 mm in diameter, having 2-6 seeds
Distribution	Northern and Central Mexico and in some regions of the Southwestern USA
Habitat	Open and arid rocky slopes, woodland garden canopies, open oak lands
Hardiness Zones	7-9
Growth Rate	Slow
Lifespan	40-150 years
Growing Conditions	Summer: Young trees require twice watering every week; dry and hot areas are conducive to the fastest growth Light: Sun Soil: Dry and well-drained, sandy loam, clay, rocky Water: Low requirement
Diseases & Pests	Cattle are the pest
Reproduction System	Dioecious
Propagation	Seeds
Seedling Development	2-3 years for germination
Uses	Fruits for edible purposes and woods for lumber
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Alligator Juniper Bonsai

Alligator Bark Juniper

Interesting Facts

Its square plates bark is similar to an alligator’s skin and hence it has got its name.
Although it has five varieties, (Juniperus deppeana var. deppeana, Juniperus deppeana var. pachyphlaea, Juniperus deppeana var. robusta, Juniperus deppeana var. sperryi, Juniperus deppeana var. zacatecensis) these variations are not accepted by all.

Photo Alligator Juniper

Big Alligator Juniper Tree

References

The post Alligator Juniper appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

Rocky Mountain Juniper

admin — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 12:19:16 +0000

Rocky Mountain Juniper is a small- to medium-sized coniferous tree native to North America, growing at an elevation of about 500-2700 meters (1600-8900 ft) on dry soils usually with other juniper species. It has a wide, irregular crown and twisted trunk.

Rocky Mountain Juniper

Rocky Mountain Juniper Tree

Rocky Mountain Juniper Pictures

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Cupressaceae
Genus	Juniperus
Scientific name	Juniperus scopulorum

Wichita Blue Juniper

Cologreen Juniper

Rocky Mountain Juniper Leaf

Quick Information

Other Names	Mountain Red Cedar, Rocky Mountain Cedar, Cedar Tree, Juniper Bush, Savin, Evergreen, Cedar Apple
Similar to	Eastern Red Cedar
Size	Height ranging between 5 to 10 m (sometimes more) with trunk thickness up to 1 or 2 m and diameter up to 300 mm (rarely 600 mm)
Leaves	Arranged in opposite pairs at right angles, sometimes in whorls of three; scaly adult leaves, 1-2 mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad; needle-shaped young leaves on seedlings, 5-10 mm long
Cones	Seed Cones: Berry-like ball shaped and bilobed with a diameter ranging from 6-9 mm, dark blue, consists of two seeds (occasionally one or three); takes about 18 months to mature Pollen Cones: 2-4 mm long, dioecious, pollen are shed in early spring
Tree Type	Perennial, evergreen
Shape at Maturity	Pyramidal, columnar
Distribution/Range	Western North America, British Columbia and Alberta in Canada; east of Washington, North Dakota, western Texas, and south to Arizona in the United States; from east of Sonora to Coahuila in northernmost Mexico
Hardiness Zones	4 to 8
Lifespan	250-300 years or more
Growth rate	Usually slow-growing
Growing Conditions	Water requirement: Low; can tolerate drought Light requirement: Direct sunlight as well as partial shade Cold exposure: Can tolerate cold; cannot adapt to high night temperature; cannot survive when exposed to temperature below -38°F Humidity: Not tolerant of high humidity Soil Requirement: Dry, sandy, rocky, clayey, slightly alkaline; high calcium-carbonate tolerance
Diseases/Pests	It is vulnerable to attack by a complex of insects, arachnids, and nematodes; it is attacked by blights, juniper berry mites, and red spider mites; it is an alternate host for cedar apple rust
Flowering/Fruiting	April, May
Seed Production	Seeds are occasionally borne at 10 years of age though the optimum time for production of seeds is 50-200 years
Seed-bearing Frequency	It bears seeds every year, but heavier production takes place every 2 to 5 years
Dispersal of Seeds	Ripen and fall off from the tree during the second spring, dispersed by different birds and small mammals
Wildlife Value	Provides nesting place, fruits, and dense cover for many wildlife species
Cultivars	Many cultivars have been used in horticulture – Skyrocket, Blue Arrow, Welch Juniper, Blue Haven, Blue Trail Cologreen, Winter Blue, Pathfinder, Gray Gleam, Springbark, Platinum, Green Ice, Moonglow, Greenspice, Wichita Blue, etc
Uses	Plateau Indian people made a drink from the inner barks and leaves for the treatment of coughs and fevers; the berries were used for their laxative and cold-relieving properties; the wood is used for making furniture, fence posts, interior paneling, fuel, and chests
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Rocky Mountain Juniper Bark Berry

Rocky Mountain Juniper Bonsai

Rocky Mountain Juniper Bark

Interesting Facts

In October 1804, the rocky mountain juniper was initially discovered by Lewis and Clark
In the United States, it is popularly collected for bonsai.

Rocky Mountain Juniper Images

References:

The post Rocky Mountain Juniper appeared first on Coniferous Forest.

Creeping Juniper

admin — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 11:21:52 +0000

Creeping juniper is a species of graceful, aromatic, low-growing, evergreen shrubby conifers native to the boreal and subarctic regions in North America, though some populations are also scattered further south in America. Featuring plume-like horizontal branches, the creeping junipers have blue-green foliage in both spring and summer, turning into dark purple in winter.

Creeping Juniper

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Cupressaceae
Genus	Juniperus
Scientific Name	Juniperus horizontalis

Creeping Junipers

Creeping Juniper Bonsai

Quick Information

Other Names	Trailing juniper, creeping cedar, creeping savin juniper
Other Related Species	Juniperus virginiana, Juniperus scopulorum
Size	10-30 cm tall, spread 1.8-3.1 m (6-10 ft) wide
Leaves	Occur in opposite crossed pairs, sometimes forming whorls of three; scale-like adult leaves (1-2 mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad) and needle-like juvenile leaves (5-10 mm long)
Cones	Berry-like, globular to bilobate, diameter of 5-7 mm, dark blue with bluish-white flowers having a waxy texture, usually contain 2 seeds, male cones have a length of 2-4 mm, pollens are shed in spring
Bark	Reddish brown, peeled, difficult to spot due to overlapping branches
Distribution/Range	Alberta, Labrador, British Columbia, Newfoundland I, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Yukon, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Northern Territories (in Canada); Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Montana, Minnesota, Colorado, New York, Vermont, Wyoming, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota (in the US)
Hardiness Zones	3-10
Growth Rate	Medium with an annual increase of about 4.6 cm
Lifespan	Moderate
Growing Conditions	Winter Conditions: Arid, cold climate with average January temperature of -14.5 °C to -10 °C Summer Conditions: Typically dry with great variations in diurnal and annual temperatures; average July temperature is 18.8 °C, tolerates summer drought conditions Rain: Needs low/moderate amount of rainfall, grows in areas with average yearly precipitation of 12.9-18 inches Sunlight: Grows well under full sun; tolerant to partial sunlight but may have thin foliage Soil Requirements: Medium moist, well-drained, dry, sandy, loamy, acidic or slightly alkaline
Diseases and Pests	Affected by root rots, phomopsis dieback, foliage blight, cedar apple rust; serious pests including juniper scale, juniper webworm, twig borers, bagworms
Pollination	Through wind
Breeding System	Dioecious
Seed Production	Poor seed producer; seeds are dispersed by wind and wildlife
Development	Staminate/pistillate cones are produced in the spring; they mature in summer/early fall
Wildlife Value	Mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, and other small mammals feed on this plant; birds such as rose-breasted grosbeaks, yellow warblers, clay-colored sparrows, catbirds, blue jays, black-billed cuckoos, chipping sparrows, and brown thrashers use creeping juniper habitats
Uses	Cultivars are used in horticulture and landscaping, makes a great ground cover in rockeries and on sandy soils; also used for erosion control
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Creeping Juniper Groundcover

Creeping Juniper Pictures

Cultivars/Varieties

‘Wiltonii’: Also called the ‘Blue Rug,’ the prostrate juniper has bluish foliage with a diameter of 5 ft and height of 4-6 inches.
‘Plumosa’ or ‘Andorra Juniper’: This variety of junipers is widely used in landscaping despite being highly susceptible to blight. It has a spread of 10 ft and grows up to 2 ft tall.
‘Bar Harbor’: Originating from Mount Desert Island, this juniper plant is an excellent prostate groundcover. It grows 1 ft high and spreads to about 6 ft.
‘Blue Prince’: This flat-growing variety with fine blue needles grows 6 inches high and spreads up to 5 ft.

There are other cultivars including ‘Blue Chip’, ’Mother Lode’, ’Hughes’, ’Monber’, and ‘Prince of Wales’.

Creeping Juaniper Leaf

Interesting Facts

The berry-like seed cones of creeping juniper plants were used by the Native Americans for making an infusion to treat colds, sore throats, and kidney diseases.

Creeping Juniper Plant

References

The post Creeping Juniper appeared first on Coniferous Forest.