What kind of juniper grows in Oregon?
The variety of juniper found in Central Oregon is the Western Juniper, or Juniperus occidentalis. These are amazingly hardy trees (understandably so, as they thrive in the arid high-desert conditions). They typically grow 15 to 30 feet tall, but rarely much more than that.
Are juniper trees invasive to Oregon?
The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association has called juniper “one of our most noxious invasive species.”
Does juniper grow in the Pacific Northwest?
Western juniper occurs in the Pacific Northwest, California, and Nevada. Old-growth western juniper stands that established in presettlement times (before the 1870s) occur primarily on sites of low productivity such as claypan soils, rimrock, outcrops, the edges of mesas, and upper slopes.
Where can I find juniper in Oregon?
Western juniper is widely distributed across the cold, arid, central and eastern Oregon landscape between sagebrush flats and pine forests.
Where are juniper trees native to?
Junipers are members of the Cypress family and are native to Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. Their ‘berries’, which are actually seed cones with very fleshy, tight scales, were the original flavoring for gin.
Do juniper trees have invasive roots?
In the landscape, Skyrocket juniper plants make a beautiful informal screen when planted en masse. They are also useful as specimen plants and their non-invasive roots mean they can even be used as foundation plantings.
Why is juniper an invasive?
History of Juniper as an invasive species Western juniper has been described by Oregon Invasive Species as “degrading sage grouse and other wildlife habitat, shading out native grasses, sucking up groundwater, and creating opportunities for invasions of weeds and other undesirable species.”
Is Juniper a native plant?
Although commonly a tree in Eurasia, Common Juniper is only rarely a small tree in New England and other northeastern States. In the West, it is a low shrub, often at timberline. Including geographic varieties, this species is the most widely distributed native conifer in both North America and the world.
How old are juniper trees in Central Oregon?
Long life: Juniper trees can live 1,640 years and a patriarchal juniper at Fort Rock is believed to be Oregon’s biggest, measuring 5 1/2 feet in diameter and standing 64 feet tall. Downsides to juniper expansion: Young juniper carry flames during range fires.
Are juniper berries in Central Oregon edible?
Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) is found in central and eastern Oregon, and those berries are edible.
Is juniper a native plant?
Are juniper and cedar trees the same?
Eastern Red Cedar. Eastern Red Cedar is very closely related to the Common Juniper, in fact they are in the same genus. The key obvious difference is that Juniper seldom grows as a tree, whereas Red Cedar nearly always does.
Do juniper trees grow in Oregon?
Junipers may be low and spreading with small needle-like leaves (common juniper) or a tree with scale-like leaves (Rocky Mountain and western juniper). Western juniper is widely distributed across the cold, arid, central and eastern Oregon landscape between sagebrush flats and pine forests. It does not tolerate shade, and fire easily kills it.
What can you do with juniper trees?
Ranchers have found that the trunks of junipers make nearly indestructible fence posts, and the wood has been used to create novelty items such as lamps and furniture.
How many seeds does a juniper tree have?
Fruit berrylike, blue-black, with a bloom, soft, juicy, resinous, maturing in the second year, 2-3 seeds. Note: The scale-like leaves of Western Juniper are usually in whols of 3 and their associated buds have the same arrangement, hence branchlets derived from these buds are arranged similarly, thereby resulting in 3 vertical rows along a stem.