Rocky Mountain Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum
Also known as: Seaside Juniper
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, United States
Bob Miller https://www.inaturalist.org/people/swbirder (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Coniferophyta | - Conifers
- Family:
- Cupressaceae
- Genus:
- Juniperus
- Species:
- Juniperus scopulorum
- USDA Symbol:
- JUSC2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may
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
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Thin-barked and fire-sensitive when young, but mature trees can survive low-intensity fires. Often increases in fire-suppressed landscapes.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Prefers rocky slopes and foothills in native habitat
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–90 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require warm stratification followed by cold stratification; germination can be erratic and may take multiple seasons.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are either placed in cold moist stratification for 120 to 150 days or naturally stratified by planting them in the fall in a thin layer of sand on mulched field beds. Alternatively, seeds can be soaked in a running water rinse for 24 hours prior to stratification. Warm moist stratification followed by 6 to 8 months of cold moist chilling is also recommended. Acid scarification for 30 to 60 minutes prior to stratification has improved germination in limited trials.
Establishment: Cuttings can also be used for propagation. Cuttings are treated with 8000 ppm IBA rooting powder, and stuck in mist bed with at least 2 nodes below the surface of the rooting medium. Rooting percentage for cuttings is 68%. Time to transplant is 12 weeks.
Source: npn.rngr.net