02)+Juniper

= = =Common Name - Mountain Juniper =

//Genus species - ** Juniperus occidentalis **// Family - **Cupressaceae**

The Podcast media type="file" key="juniper 1.wma". Podcast Script

|| Photo of Leaves || || Photo of the Reproductive Part ||
 * Photo of Whole Plant
 * Photo of the Bark

Classification:
 //Juniperus occidentalis// which means Westren Juniper or  Mountain Juniper is a coniferous plant meaning that it has seeds which are within their cones. They are dicots meaning they have two seed leaves and they are dioecious.

Family characteristics:
Mountain Juniper flowers in the spring and sheds its pollen in May. The seeds are found within the spherical berrylike cones. Juniper is a woody plants meaning that it has secondary growth. Mountain Juniper is a coniferous plants meaning that they have cones and do not flower.

Size:
Mature sizes are typically 15 feet to 50 feet tall and are a foot to 3 feet in diameter.

Identifying features:
à Leaf description - Leaves are evergreen, aromatic, are scalelike, and are in sets of 3. They have sort of a braided texture and are in clumps <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 121%;"> à Bark - The bark varies in color from reddish bown to a cinnamon brown and it is thin and fibrous. à <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of surrounding area - <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 121%;">This lovely Mountain Juniper is situated in an awesome location right outside Ms. **R**ottenberg's classroom. Nearby is the Heavenley Bamboo and the Rose of Sharon. The Heavenley Bamboo is on the same side of as the Juniper, which is the side that is next to the Ms. **R**ottenbergi's classroom. While the Rose of Sharon is on the other side of the path next to the picnic table.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Location/Habitat:
==<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> == <span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">The range of Mountain Juniper on the West Coast. It prefers a semiarid climate which means it has dry hot summers, cold winters, and gets about 9 to 14 inches of rain. Mountain juniper prefers soil that developed from metamorphic, sedimentary, and igneous sources. It likes soils that are stony but can grow in conditions that are free of stones. It can be readily killed by fire and has had serious damage done by some insects. The Juniper Bark Bettle can cause the most damage especially in weak conditions such as a drought. Termites has also been observed on dead Juniper material. The most damaging pests are the white trunk rot which attacks living trees trunks, mistletoes, and endophytic fungi.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Water/Sun Requirements:
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Juniper is shade intolerant and has a range of hardiness levels from 4 to 8. As stated above it prefers its semiarid climate and 9 to 14 inches of rainfall. Depending on it's location the temperatures will differ, such as their will be more rainfall in ones that live in Oregon then those in Neveda.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reproduction:
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mountain Juniper is a dieocious which means that it has two houses meaning that it has a female and male part of the plant. They have spherical, berrylike cones that are about .25 inch to .38 inch. They flower in the spring and shed its pollen in May. Berries or ovulate cones commonly have 2 or 3 seeds and have resinous pulp. Seeds are disseminated in the fall, primarily by birds and mammals. The seeds mature within 1 to 2 seasons, they germinate slowly because of dormant embryos or hard seed coats. 95% of the reproduction accreditied to birds who eat the seeds and help it in its germination process.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Additional Information:
<span style="color: #008000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mountain Juniper's wood is hard to process, so their logs are not processed very much. Although it is not used in commerical logging that much, it still has many special uses, such as extracting its oils to create scents and fragrances. Mountain Juniper is also very valuable because it provides wildlife cover, food, nesting sites, and shade for many other animals. It's berrylike cones are an imporant source of food for rodents and birds during the winter months.

Sources:
Stuart, John D, & Sawyer, John O. (2001). //Trees and shurbs//. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press. [] []

Created by: Jolie Law