Juniper ID

University of Wisconsin Overlapping, scale-like foliage that wraps around the branchlets

Two types of foliage on most junipers. Adult foliage is scaled – juvenile foliage is needled – in whorls of 3, similar to the common juniper we saw earlier. Usually this juvenile foliage is near the bottom of the shrub. It’s very sharp and prickley. Some people have an allergic reaction to it. Adult and Juvenile Foliage Pfitzer Juniper – Juniperus chinensis ‘ Pfitzeriana ’ Oregon State University

Two types of foliage on most junipers.

Adult foliage is scaled – juvenile foliage is needled – in whorls of 3, similar to the common juniper we saw earlier. Usually this juvenile foliage is near the bottom of the shrub. It’s very sharp and prickley. Some people have an allergic reaction to it.

Juniper foliage and “berries” University of Wisconsin

Male Pollen Cones on Juniper Castlewood Canyon – photo by Linda Smith Junipers are dioecious, meaning each plant is either a male plant, with pollen cones only…..,

Junipers are dioecious, meaning each plant is either a male plant, with pollen cones only…..,

… or it is a female plant, with female cones only. The cones of juniper look like berries… But the scales of the cone are fused together and have become fleshy, not woody like other members of the cypress family. Cedar waxwings love this fruit. Gin can been made from this fruit. Each ‘cone’, depending on the species, will have from 1 to 5 seeds within the cone. Juniperus monosperma – one seed – upright juniper.

… or it is a female plant, with female cones only. The cones of juniper look like berries…

But the scales of the cone are fused together and have become fleshy, not woody like other members of the cypress family.

Cedar waxwings love this fruit. Gin can been made from this fruit. Each ‘cone’, depending on the species, will have from 1 to 5 seeds within the cone.

Juniperus monosperma – one seed – upright juniper.

Junipers don’t have buds – the new growth is produced from meristematic tissues under the “skin” of the twig.

Another horizontal Juniper Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ Oregon State University Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperus scopulorum University of Connecticut

Arborvitae - L’Arbre de Vie – Tree of Life In the 16 th century in the St. Lawrence Valley of NY, Cartier and his men developed scurvy. The local Indians brewed a tea from the foliage of the native arborvitae and saved their lives. The oriental arborvitae’s most identifiable feature is the vertical foliage sprays. Look as though they’ve been ironed, or pressed between the pages of a book. They could be spread out and would make a carpet, whereas juniper branches are bushy, not flat, and wouldn’t make a very good carpet. No buds, like juniper. Fruit not as berry-like as juniper – has scales that peel back somewhat, sometimes becoming woody.

Arborvitae - L’Arbre de Vie – Tree of Life

In the 16 th century in the St. Lawrence Valley of NY, Cartier and his men developed scurvy. The local Indians brewed a tea from the foliage of the native arborvitae and saved their lives.

The oriental arborvitae’s most identifiable feature is the vertical foliage sprays. Look as though they’ve been ironed, or pressed between the pages of a book. They could be spread out and would make a carpet, whereas juniper branches are bushy, not flat, and wouldn’t make a very good carpet.

No buds, like juniper.

Fruit not as berry-like as juniper – has scales that peel back somewhat, sometimes becoming woody.

Oriental Arborvitae Thuja orientalis Oregon State University

Winter-kill damage on Arborvitae

Eastern Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis University of Connecticut Horizontal foliage sprays versus the vertical foliage sprays of the oriental arborvitae. Home Depot and Lowe’s sell this plant a lot.

Horizontal foliage sprays versus the vertical foliage sprays of the oriental arborvitae.

Home Depot and Lowe’s sell this plant a lot.

Western Red Cedar – Thuja plicata Oregon State University

Cedar of Lebanon Cedrus libani North Carolina State University Juniper and Arborvitae are in the Cypress Family – not Cedar. There’s only one true cedar – the Cedar of Lebanon which is in the Pine Family.

Woody Plants Group 7a Cupressus arizonica Juniperus monosperma Juniperus scopulorum Juniperus virginiana Thuja ocidentalis Taxus x media Arizona Cypress Oneseed Juniper Rocky Mountain Juniper Eastern Red Cedar Western Arborvitae Hicks Yew

Cupressus arizonica

Juniperus monosperma

Juniperus scopulorum

Juniperus virginiana

Thuja ocidentalis

Taxus x media

Arizona Cypress

Oneseed Juniper

Rocky Mountain Juniper

Eastern Red Cedar

Western Arborvitae

Hicks Yew

Cupressus arizonica

Cupressus arizonica ‘Blue Ice’

But the scales of the cone are fused together and have become fleshy, not woody like other members of the cypress family.

ID Cupressus arizonica Leaves have a silver/blue tint and come out all around the twig. Very malodorous – like skunk Bark is ridged and furrowed, but slightly scaly Can be pyramidal or irregular depending on the seedling

Leaves have a silver/blue tint and come out all around the twig.

Very malodorous – like skunk

Bark is ridged and furrowed, but slightly scaly

Can be pyramidal or irregular depending on the seedling

Juniperus monosperma

Male flowers Junipers are dioecious, meaning each plant is either a male plant, with pollen cones only…..,

ID Juniperus monosperma Low to the ground, evergreen Multi-trunk tiny, yellowish-green scale-like aromatic leaves in alternate pairs Hard blueish pea like berries containing one seed

Low to the ground, evergreen

Multi-trunk

tiny, yellowish-green scale-like aromatic leaves in alternate pairs

Hard blueish pea like berries containing one seed

Juniperus scopulorum

ID Juniperus scopulorum scale-like leaves narrow, conical growth habit most have a bluish cast to needles needles are opposite and closely pressed to stem branches and twigs are vertical blue fruits

scale-like leaves

narrow, conical growth habit

most have a bluish cast to needles

needles are opposite and closely pressed to stem

branches and twigs are vertical

blue fruits

Compare J. scopulorum and J. virginiana Rocky Mountain Juniper Branches definitely ascending Fruit requires two years to mature Foliage remains bluish green in winter Point of facial needles just meeting diamond above Under bark red Eastern Red Cedar Branches nearly horizontal Fruit matures in one year Foliage turns purplish-brown in winter Point of facial needle entering into diamond above Under bark grey

Rocky Mountain Juniper

Branches definitely ascending

Fruit requires two years to mature

Foliage remains bluish green in winter

Point of facial needles just meeting diamond above

Under bark red

Eastern Red Cedar

Branches nearly horizontal

Fruit matures in one year

Foliage turns purplish-brown in winter

Point of facial needle entering into diamond above

Under bark grey

Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar Height – 30-45’ Spread – 10-15’ Medium water needs Evergreen, conifer, scale leaves Broad pyramidal shape Medium green foliage turns russet in winter Tough, used for windbreaks Fruit – berry like cones, turn dark blue Red/brown bark

Height – 30-45’ Spread – 10-15’

Medium water needs

Evergreen, conifer, scale leaves

Broad pyramidal shape

Medium green foliage turns russet in winter

Tough, used for windbreaks

Fruit – berry like cones, turn dark blue

Red/brown bark

ID Features both scale-like and awl-like foliage medium green needle color bronze winter color needles arranged in a 4-rank pattern waxy, blue fruits; small needle tips pointed branches have a strong cedar scent upright form

ID Features

both scale-like and awl-like foliage

medium green needle color

bronze winter color

needles arranged in a 4-rank pattern

waxy, blue fruits; small

needle tips pointed

branches have a strong cedar scent

upright form

Thuja occidentalis Western Arborvitae

ID Thuja occidentalis conical shape dense, compact evergreen foliage scale-like leaves tansy-like odor emitted from crushed foliage branchlets held in horizontal planes small woody cone often with multiple trunks

conical shape

dense, compact evergreen foliage

scale-like leaves

tansy-like odor emitted from crushed foliage

branchlets held in horizontal planes

small woody cone

often with multiple trunks

Taxus x media Hicks Yew two-ranked needles red aril covered seed scaly bark usually massively pruned blunt bud scales pointed leaf apex Evergreen Dark green above, light green below

two-ranked needles

red aril covered seed

scaly bark

usually massively pruned

blunt bud scales

pointed leaf apex

Evergreen

Dark green above, light green below

Taxus x media Flowers on old wood, not ornamental Red covered olive brown seed Scaly, flaky bark hidden by foliage

Flowers on old wood, not ornamental

Red covered olive brown seed

Scaly, flaky bark hidden by foliage

Id from Photographs

Entire Tree

Leaf

Fruit

Bark