Common Name:

General Information

Juniperus semiglobosa is an erect, evergreen tree with a rather loose and narrow often weeping head; it usually grows up to 10 metres tall, with specimens up to 20 metres recorded. The bole can be up to 200cm in diameter[, , , ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for mainly local use as a medicine and source of materials. The foliage is sold in local markets for medicinal use and incense[].
Despite exploitation in some areas, Juniperus semiglobosa's range is so large that it is unlikely to be threatened with extinction globally. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, western China (Xinjiang, Xizang), Pakistan, northwestern India, Nepal

Habitat

Mixed conifer forest (usually on open rocky slopes or outcrops), juniper woodland, glacial moraines (often forming groves), subalpine scrub, river terraces, moraines, scree slopes and other dry, stony ground; at elevations from 1,550 - 4,350 metres[]

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Juniperus semiglobosa is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -30°c when fully dormant[]. The climate is alpine-continental, with hot, dry summers especially in the interior valleys and on S-facing mountain slopes, and cold winters, often with perpetual snowfields above the juniper zone supplying moisture through prolonged melting and seepage[].
Found in the wild on both calcareous and siliceous soils[].
The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
A mainly dioecious species, though monoecious forms are also known; both male and female forms usually need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

The light brown to bluish black, subglobose to triangular, rarely globose seed cones are 2 - 3mm in diameter. Soft and fleshy, though they become rather hard with age[].
The fruits of the form that was previously known as Juniperus talassica Lipsky, are distinguished by an important economic character, in that they have a much higher sugar content74].

Medicinal

The foliage is sold on markets for 'medicinal' purposes[]

Other Uses

The leaves are used for incense[].

This species is primarily used for firewood, but the wood is also used on a small scale for wood craft (souvenirs)[].

The reddish wood is used for pencil- making[]. The resin content is higher than in other juniper species. The following types of wood are distinguished according to color: white "safet-archa, " red "saurarcha" (this used for pencil-making), and yellow "sary-archa[].

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[].