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Rocky Mountain Juniper

Juniperus scopulorum

Other common name(s):

Rocky Mountain Red Cedar, Mountain Red Cedar, Colorado Red Cedar, Western Red Cedar, River Juniper, Western Juniper, Cedro Rojo

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 Breaks

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

30
to
40
ft.

Spread

30
to
15
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Rocky, Caliche, Brackish

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Berry, Seeds, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

It is susceptible to juniper blight and serves as an alternate host for cedar apple rust. It tolerates drought and salt spray, but does not adapt to high humidity or high night temperatures. Propagation: Stem cuttings, Seed.

Comments

Rocky Mountain juniper is slow-growing and long lived. It has a short trunk and has many branches with drooping foliage, The young foliage consists of pointed, white-coated needles. Mature trees have scale-like foliage that varies in color from dark- to bluish- or light-green. Round, dark-blue, berry-like cones, covered with a whitish bloom, ripen in the second year. The aromatic bark is reddish-brown or gray and shedding. This species is closely related to Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana L.). Larval Host: Olive butterfly
Previous Scientific Name(s): Synonym/s: Juniperus scopulorum var. columnaris, Juniperus virginiana ssp. scopulorum, Juniperus virginiana var. montana, Juniperus virginiana var. scopulorum, Sabina scopulorum

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=JUSC2. 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Juniperus+scopulorum&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=8224&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=194872#null

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