Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Juniperus occidentalis
western juniper
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho and Nevada.

Habitat: Desert foothills and lower mountains.

Cones: May-June

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Description:
General:

Rounded or pyramidal tree 4-10 m. tall, usually dioecious but occasionally monoecious, the trunk 4-7 dm. thick.

Bark:

Bark cinnamon-brown, furrowed and stringy.

Leaves:

Leaves scale-like, pale green, mostly in 3u00e2u20acu2122s but opposite on the smallest twigs, blunt, with minutely denticulate margins, and with a gland on the upper surface.

Cones:

Staminate cones ovoid, 3-5 mm. long, with 12-16 stamens; ovulate cones maturing the second season, bluish-black, 7-8 mm. long, 1- to 3-seeded, fleshy but rather dry.

Accepted Name:
Juniperus occidentalis Hook.
Publication: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 166. 1838.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Juniperus occidentalis Hook. ssp. occidentalis [JPM]
Juniperus occidentalis Hook. var. occidentalis [FNA2]
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Juniperus occidentalis in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Juniperus occidentalis checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Juniperus occidentalis information.

E-Flora BC: Juniperus occidentalis atlas page.

CalPhotos: Juniperus occidentalis photos.

USDA Plants: Juniperus occidentalis information.

32 photographs:
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