A slender, graceful, single-stemmed tree up to 15 m tall and the trunk up to l m thick or 2 or more trunks from a single crown with reddish-brown bark; leaves acute or acuminate, 1-1.5 mm long, oppressed, dark green with obscure glands on the back; berries globose, maturing the second season, 1-2 seeded. A valuable tree for ornamental plantings. Moist soil of streams and hills. Alta. To B.C. south to Tex., Ariz., and Nev. | ||
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General
Description:
The
Rocky Mountain Juniper or sometimes called River Juniper is usually a columnar,
dioecious up to 10 meter tall tree with one main trunk. Occasionally it is somewhat
rounded or higher elevations somewhat shrub-like. The bark is usually somewhat
reddish in color and as the tree ages it becomes somewhat stringy or fibrous.
One way of distinguishing it from the Utah juniper is that the twigs or branchlets
are thinner and the leaves are mostly opposite. The leaves on mature trees are
scale-like with entire margins. The leaves on juvenile specimens are awl-like
and can range from 5-7 millimeters in length. These may remain on those branches
until the tree is mature. The berry-like seed cones are smaller than those of
the Utah Juniper and are up to 6 millimeters in diameter. When the wax is rubbed
off, they become a darker blue rather than copper colored.
Juvenile specimens are similar to the Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
but does not have jointed leaves with concave upper surface that the common
juniper has.
The
seed germination is enhanced by removing the fleshy cone. This is often accomplished
by going through the digestive tract of birds or mammals. Bighorn
sheep, and birds such as Townsend's
solitaire feed on this plant. It may live up to become up to 1500 years
old.
Similar
Species:
Utah
Juniper, Common Juniper
Distribution:
Southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, east central Washington , Eastern
Oregon, to Montana, Dakotas, Nefvada, Northern Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado
and Western Nebraska.
Habitat:
Coastal islands to dry plains and valleys and lower mountains, usually near
streams or wetter soils.
Other:
Sometimes used as fence posts and rails because of their straight trunks. Native
Americans regarded it as sacred and regarded the smoke from it to be effective
in relief from colds, to prevent sickness in general, evil spirits, heal horses
and believed that lightening never struck these trees. Native Americans also
burned it to purify their homes, for good luck prior to hunting, to stimulate
urination, sweating, curing venereal diseases, heart, lung, and kidney problems,
and to help digestion and increase appetite.
Although teas can be made from the berries and leaves, caution
should be exercised. People with kidney problems or pregnant women should avoid
ingestion. Junipers were used in Europe to induce abortion and were termed "Bastard
Killer."