Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper)


Michael's Opinion

This is a medium sized tree has a unique characteristic. It has several trunks and the bark does give a shredding appearance that can add a unique quality to the landscape.

Botanical Information

FamilyCupressaceae
GenusJuniperus
Speciesscopulorum
CategoryWoody
TypeTree (evergreen)
ReferencesRodd, Tony. The Firefly Encyclopedia Of Trees and Shrubs. Canada: Firefly Books Ltd.,2001.Print.
OriginNative to Western North America.
Pronunciation

Details

USDA Hardiness Zone3–7
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness Zone3
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Temperature (°C)-23-(-21)
Temperature (°F)-10-(-5)
Height9–12 m
Spread1–4 m
GrowthMedium
Flowering PeriodMarch

Description and Growing Information

General DescriptionThis Juniperus scopulorum has several main stems that are sturdy, spreading branches. It is great as a specimen tree, hedge and for a screen.
ID CharacteristicScale-like leaves that are narrow, and the shape is a conical growth habit. Most have a bluish cast to the needles and closely pressed to the stem.
ShapeRounded or spreading form; this has a narrow, irregular conical shape, which opens when it is mature. The branches are somewhat vertical growing.
LandscapeThis tree can be used as a specimen, screen, or mass plantings. Juniperus scopulorum can also be used as hedges and foundation plants.
PropagationCutting are made 5–15 cm long; they are cut from the new lateral growth tips stripped off older branches. Exposing the stock plants to several hard freezes seems to give better rooting. Using the terminal growth from the current season's growth also does allow for good root growth. Late fall-winter propagation period is more successful than doing it in the summer
CultivationIt is tolerant of most conditions, doesn’t like wet soils or high humidity and prefers full sun.
PestsSusceptible to twig blight and juniper blights. It can serve as an alternate host to cedar-apple rust, and cankers can be a problem.
HabitatRocky Mountains from North America, British Columbia to Northern Mexico.
Bark/Stem DescriptionColour of bark is a reddish brown. Sometimes a grey shredding appearance occurs.
Flower/Leaf Bud DescriptionThe bud is arranged in continuous form. The colour is similar to the tree, it is hard to distinguish the difference from the leaves. The size of the bud is 3 mm.
Leaf DescriptionThe leaves are arranged in opposite decussate pairs, or occasionally in whorls of three; the adult leaves are scale-like, 1–2 mm long (to 5 mm on lead shoots) and 1–1.5 mm broad. The juvenile leaves, on young seedlings only, are needle-like, 5–10 mm.
Flower DescriptionThis flower is usually dioecious. The colour for female ranges from red to green, and the male colour is yellow.
Fruit DescriptionThe seed cones are berry-like, globose to bilobed, 6–9 mm in diameter, dark blue with a pale blue-white waxy bloom, and contain two seeds (rarely one or three); they are mature in about 18 months. The pollen cones are 2–4 mm long, and shed their pollen.
Colour DescriptionSummer foliage leaves are scale-like and the colour varies from a deep green to blue-green. There is no autumn colour.
Texture DescriptionIt has a fine to medium texture.

Photographs