Utah Juniper
Juniperus osteosperma
Twigs, leaves and cones of Juniperus osteosperma. Photographed along Camp Creek, Maricopa Co., Arizona. Aug. 2008.
TREE: A small to medium sized tree with course fibrous bark and
typically one main trunk (as opposed to multiple branches from ground level).
LEAVES: Leaves are small overlapping scales. Resin glands normally cover
less than half the leaf surface.
RANGE: Junipers in Arizona generally do poorly in soils that are flooded
for more than a few days - thus in sycamore-lined canyons they tend to grow on
slightly higher, drier ground on terraces or nearby slopes. That said, the
trees growing in this environment tend to be larger and more vibrant than those
on drier sites.
CONES: Berry-like cones are fibrous and orange-brown beneath a glaucus,
waxy coating and containing one or two seeds.
UNARMED. The scale-like leaves can, however, feel a bit prickly.
Cupressaceae -- Juniper Family
More Information:
- Jepson Manual
- Conifers.org
- USDA Plant Profile
- ITIS Taxonomic Report
- Google Images
- Google Scholar Literature Search