Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Cupressaceae

Genus:

Juniperus

Species:

Juniperus excelsa

USDA Symbol:

JUEX2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

2000 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Mature trees can survive moderate fires due to thick bark, but seedlings and young trees are fire-sensitive. Generally found in fire-sparse habitats.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

thrives in arid and semi-arid regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–150 days

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Seeds have deep dormancy and may take 1-2 years to germinate. Warm stratification followed by cold stratification improves germination rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI