Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Cupressaceae

Genus:

Juniperus

Species:

Juniperus occidentalis

USDA Symbol:

JUOC

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

1500 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

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 can survive low-intensity fire due to thick bark, but seedlings and young trees are fire-sensitive. Fire exclusion has led to range expansion.

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:

Commonly found in mountainous regions with sparse vegetation.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–120 days

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have deep dormancy requiring warm stratification followed by cold stratification. Germination can be erratic and may take over a year.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI