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Oneseed Juniper

Juniperus monosperma

Other common name(s):

One-seed Juniper, Cherrystone Juniper, New Mexico Juniper, West Texas Juniper

Family:

Cupressaceae (Cypress Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Chihuahuan Deserts, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Canadian/Cimarron High Plains
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

6
to
20
ft.

Spread

6
to
20
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Gravelly, Dry

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Orange

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Berry, Forage

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Very cold hardy and drought tolerant juniper. Provides shelter for wildlife and less-tolerant plants. Invades disturbed sites. Susceptible to mistletoe (prune it out). It can be pruned to a single trunk, but is most interesting in its wild form.

Comments

One-seed juniper is a large shrub or small tree, with a gnarled, multi-trunked appearance in the wild. Bark is thin, scaly and ashy. Fragrant foliage is scale-like on mature twigs; needle-like on young shoots and seedlings. Bluish-black to copper-colored fruits occur on the female plants.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym/s: Juniperus occidentalis var. gymnocarpa, Sabina monosperma

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=JUMO, 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Juniperus+monosperma&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=8235&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg 316. 6) Miller George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd ed, pg 48. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=194853#null

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