Common Name: Desert Juniper

General Information

Juniperus osteosperma is an evergreen shrub or a tree with a rounded crown; it usually grows up to 6 metres tall, occasionally reaching 12 metres, and can be single or multi-stemmed[].
The plant has a wide range of traditional uses as a food, medicine and source of materials. It has excellent potential for use as a pioneer species for restoring native woodland, is sometimes used as a 'Christmas Tree' and is often grown as an ornamental.
Juniperus osteosperma is the most wide-spread species of juniper in the extensive Pinyon-Juniper woodland formation of the SW USA; it has little commercial value and occurs often on rocky escarpments and plateaus where few other plants get a foothold. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

South-western N. America - Idaho and Montana, south to California, Arizona and New Mexico

Habitat

Codominant in Pinyon-Juniper woodland, also forming pure stands at lower elevations, growing on rocky or gravelly alluvial fans and hillsides, growing in crevices in the rock onbare sandstone or shale; at elevations from 460 - 2,700 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Juniperus osteosperma is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[]. It is native to higher elevations and semi-arid to arid, continental climates with hot, dry summers. Mean annual precipitation is usually within the range 300 - 450mm, with extremes from 250 - 500mm. It usually does not grow well in moister climates, even if the winters are mild[, ].
Requires a sunny position[]. Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil[, ]. Thrives in calcareous soils[]. A drought tolerant plant once established, succeeding in hot dry positions[]. This is one of the most drought resistant junipers in North America[]. Prefers a pH in the range 7.4 - 8[].
The plant produces a taproot that extends downwards around 4.5 metres, and lateral roots that may extend as far as 30 metres from the tree, 5 - 15cm below soil level. Most root biomass is within the first 90cm of soil, with fine roots concentrated in the uppermost 45cm or just below the soil surface. The plant does not use soil moisture from summer precipitation and does not have active roots in shallow soils layers during the summer[].
A slow-growing but long-lived tree, specimens several centuries old have been recorded[].
Good crops of fruit are produced in alternate years in the wild[].
Closely related to Juniperus californica[, ].
This species is resistant to honey fungus[].
The seed takes 2 years to mature[].
Plants are usually dioecious, though occasional trees with both male and female flowers are sometimes found[]. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, , ]. A thin flesh, it is sweet but strongly flavoured of resin and has a mealy texture[, , ]. Used as a flavouring in stews[, ]. The fruit can be eaten fresh or it can be dried and ground into a powder then baked into cakes[, , ]. The cones are about 6 - 18mm in diameter, they take 2 years to mature[].
The bluish brown, globose seed cones mature in 1 - 2 years; they can be 6 - 12mm in diameter containing 1 - 2 seeds[].

Medicinal

Desert juniper was widely employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints, especially those connected to the bladder and kidneys and to the skin[]. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism.

The leaves are antiseptic, blood tonic and laxative[, ]. A decoction is used in the treatment of constipation[].
A poultice of the leaves has been applied to the jaw to treat toothaches and sore and swollen gums[].

A decoction of the young twigs has been used in the treatment of stomach aches, kidney complaints, haemorrhages, coughs and colds[]. Fumes from the burning twigs have been inhaled in the treatment of headaches and colds[].
The branches have been used in a sweat bath to treat rheumatism[]. A strong decoction has been used as an antiseptic wash on sores[]. A poultice of the mashed twigs has been used as a dressing on burns and swellings[].

The seeds are analgesic[]. They have been eaten in the treatment of headaches[].

The fruits are analgesic, blood tonic and diuretic[]. A decoction has been used to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps, to induce urination and to treat kidney complaints, fevers, coughs and colds[].
Externally, a decoction has been used as a poultice on rheumatic joints[].

Agroforestry Uses:

An aggressive juniper, invading grasslands in Utah[]. This makes the plant an excellent candidate for use as a pioneer to restore native woodland, and perhaps also for use in establishing woodland gardens[].
this species of juniper is the most important small tree within its native range, providing important habitats for wildlife[].

Other Uses

A wax on the fruit is obtained by simmering the fruit in hot water and skimming off the wax as it rises to the surface. The wax can be used to make aromatic candles[].
An essentail oil obtained from the whole plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations for masking the aroma of other ingredients[].

The bark is employed as a tinder and is also made into a slow match[, ]. The crushed bark was twisted into a rope, tied at intervals with yucca (Yucca species), and wrapped into a coil. The free end was set on fire and kept smouldering by blowing on it at intervals. Fire could be carried in this fashion for several hours[].

The bark has been used as a thatching on the roofs of buildings[].

The dried seeds have been used as beads or as the 'rattle' in rattles. They are used to make necklaces, mainly as a novelty for tourists to bu[, ].

An infusion of the plant has been used as a hair wash[].

The plant has been burnt as an incense and fumigant in the home[].

The wood is soft, close-grained, slightly fragrant[]. It is highly decay-resistant and, when available in sufficient dimensions, is used for construction, fencing posts, pencils etc[, , ].
The wood has long been a favoured fuel, though this use is now incidental, whilst its contorted habit when growing older precludes most other uses of its wood[, ].

Propagation

The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[, ]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[].
Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/early autumn in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[, ].
Layering in September/early autumn. Takes 12 months[].