Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Cupressaceae

Genus:

Juniperus

Species:

Juniperus indica var. indica

USDA Symbol:

JUWA2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Mature trees may survive low-intensity ground fires due to thick bark; regenerates from seed post-fire but does not require fire for reproduction.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to high-altitude Himalayan regions

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–180 days

Germination Time:

30–365 days

Notes:

Juniper seeds have deep dormancy requiring warm then cold stratification; germination is often slow and erratic over one to two years.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI