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Juniperus occidentalis
This is a common evergreen found in the arid regions of Oregon. It is easily recognizable by its gnarled, scraggly appearance and it may grown in twisting shapes. Depending on local soil conditions and rainfall, it may grow as either a shrub or a tree.
The western juniper’s bark is dark reddish-brown with a thin, fibrous texture. The leaves are short and scaly. The tree’s cones may look more like small, blue-gray berries with a waxy surface rather than woody cones typical of conifers. Cones are dropped in the spring and will take up to a year and a half to mature. The cones provide an important food source for birds and mammals. Birds aid in the dispersal of the juniper by transporting its seeds in their excrement.
The juniper normally grows as a shrub or an average-sized tree, reaching a maximum height of 49 feet (15 m) Some exceptionally tall specimens in the John Day area have grown to almost 100 feet (30 m). Junipers grow slowly and can live exceedingly long, with some California specimens possibly as old as 3,000 years.
Distribution
The Western juniper can be found mostly in dry, rocky and mountainous areas up to 9,800 feet (3,000 m). The tree is very common in central and eastern Oregon, stretching from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains to the Idaho border. They may compete with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir in these regions.
Conservation Status
Common.
Juniperus occidentalis
This is a common evergreen found in the arid regions of Oregon. It is easily recognizable by its gnarled, scraggly appearance and it may grown in twisting shapes. Depending on local soil conditions and rainfall, it may grow as either a shrub or a tree.
The western juniper’s bark is dark reddish-brown with a thin, fibrous texture. The leaves are short and scaly. The tree’s cones may look more like small, blue-gray berries with a waxy surface rather than woody cones typical of conifers. Cones are dropped in the spring and will take up to a year and a half to mature. The cones provide an important food source for birds and mammals. Birds aid in the dispersal of the juniper by transporting its seeds in their excrement.
The juniper normally grows as a shrub or an average-sized tree, reaching a maximum height of 49 feet (15 m) Some exceptionally tall specimens in the John Day area have grown to almost 100 feet (30 m). Junipers grow slowly and can live exceedingly long, with some California specimens possibly as old as 3,000 years.
Distribution
The Western juniper can be found mostly in dry, rocky and mountainous areas up to 9,800 feet (3,000 m). The tree is very common in central and eastern Oregon, stretching from the foothills of the Cascade Mountains to the Idaho border. They may compete with ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir in these regions.
Conservation Status
Common.