Are there juniper trees in California?

Juniperus californica (California Juniper) is a species in the Cupressaceae (Cypress) family native to southwestern North America; as the name implies, it is mainly found in California, but also extends through most of Baja California, and a short distance into southern Nevada and western Arizona.

What is the scientific name for juniper tree?

Common juniper (Juniperus communis), a sprawling shrub, is widely distributed on rocky soils throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Many ornamental cultivars have been developed. Another important ornamental and timber tree is the eastern red cedar (J. virginiana) of eastern North America.

Where can I find California juniper?

In California it is found in: the Peninsular Ranges, Transverse Ranges, California Coast Ranges, Sacramento Valley foothills, Sierra Nevada, and at higher elevation sky islands in the Mojave Desert ranges. It grows at moderate altitudes of 750–1,600 metres (2,460–5,250 ft).

Are California juniper berries edible?

California Juniper Varieties Today the California juniper’s berries are eaten raw, cooked or ground into a powder used for flavoring. This perennial plant grows best in the dry rocky areas and is hardy to USDA zones 8 to 10, notes the Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute.

How many types of juniper trees are there?

There are almost 60 species of junipers and about 400 cultivars. The cultivars are the plants that will give you the most bang for your garden buck, as they have been selected for smaller size, slower growth rate, and, many times, dramatic foliage.

Can you eat juniper berries Joshua Tree?

Juniper berries are not eaten in handfuls, straight off the bush like the sweet, juicy blueberries they resemble. Juniper berries have a strong, bitter, slightly peppery flavor and gritty texture. Instead, just a small quantity of mature juniper berries are added to recipes as a flavoring or spice.

Are juniper and cedar the same?

Cedars and junipers are both evergreen coniferous trees belonging to the plant order Pinales. Junipers are trees belonging to the genus Juniperus. Some of these trees, despite being junipers, are commonly referred to as cedars, such as Juniperus bermudiana, which is commonly known as the Bermuda cedar.

What are juniper leaves called?

Juniperus – needle-leaf junipers; the adult leaves are needle-like, in whorls of three, and jointed at the base. Juniperus sect. Juniperus subsect. Juniperus – cones with 3 separate seeds; needles with one stomatal band.

Are there male and female junipers?

“Junipers bear both male and female cones, although the female cones are often referred to as “berries.” Most junipers are dioecious, meaning male and female cones are found on separate trees.

Does juniper grow in desert?

In the USA, junipers are one of the most widespread plant groups in all of the four desert regions, which include: Great Basin Desert, Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Desert. These trees were very important resource to the Native American Indians.

Can you smoke meat with juniper?

A highly aromatic wood smoke flavour, these Juniper chips are a combination of chips, twigs and needle-like leaves producing a medium to heavy, balsamic fresh smoking flavour. Pair with all meats, game, vegetables and, fattier meats such as pork in particular.

Are juniper needles poisonous?

Juniper berries (actually fleshy cones) are a popular wild harvested spice. They are often used to flavour meats and are used to flavour gin. Savin Juniper is known to be toxic and potentially deadly poisonous if taken in large enough quantities.

What kind of juniper is native to California?

Juniperus californica. Juniperus californica, the California juniper, is a species of juniper native to southwestern North America.

What kind of animals do Juniperus californica host?

Juniperus californica provides food and shelter for a variety of native species, such as turkeys, deer, and many others. However, as the juniperus californica matures, it becomes too tall to provide adequate food and shelter for deer and other ground animals of similar size. is a larval host for the native moth sequoia sphinx ( Sphinx sequoiae) .

Is the juniper tree in Baja California endangered?

California Juniper is also a popular species for bonsai. An IUCN least concern listed species, and not considered globally threatened currently. However, one of the southernmost populations, formerly on Guadalupe Island off the Baja California Peninsula coast, was destroyed by feral goats in the late 19th century.

How tall does a juniper tree grow to be?

Juniperus californica is a shrub or small tree reaching 3–8 metres (9.8–26.2 ft), but rarely up to 10 metres (33 ft) tall. The bark is ashy gray, typically thin, and appears to be “shredded”. The shoots are fairly thick compared to most junipers, between 1.5 and 2 millimeters (0.059 and 0.079 inches)…