Juniperus californica
Encyclopedia
Juniperus californica (California Juniper) is a species
of juniper
native to southwestern North America
; as the name implies, it is mainly found in California
, although its range also extends through most of Baja California
, a short distance into the Great Basin
in southern Nevada
, and western Arizona
. It grows at moderate altitudes of 750 to 1,600 meters (2,460 - 5,200 ft).
It is a shrub
or small tree
reaching 3 to 8 m (9.8 - 26 ft), but rarely up to 10 m (33 ft) tall. The shoots are fairly thick compared to most juniper
s, between 1.5 and 2 millimeters (0.059 - 0.079 in.) in diameter. The leaves
are arranged in opposite decussate pairs or whorls of three; the adult leaves are scale-like, 1 to 5 mm (0.039 - 0.20 in.) long on lead shoots and 1 to 1.5 mm (0.039 - 0.059 in.) broad. The juvenile leaves (on seedlings only) are needle-like, 5 to 10 mm (0.20 - 0.39 in.) long. The cones
are berry-like, 7 to 13 mm (0.28 - 0.51 in.) in diameter, blue-brown with a whitish waxy bloom, and contain a single seed
(rarely two or three); they are mature in about 8–9 months. The male cones are 2 to 4 mm (0.079 - 0.16 in.) long, and shed their pollen in early spring. It is largely dioecious
, producing cones of only one sex, but around 2% of plants are monoecious
, with both sexes on the same plant. The bark is typically thin and appears to be "shredded".
It is closely related to Utah Juniper (J. osteosperma) from further east, which shares the stout shoots and relatively large cones, but differs in that Utah Juniper is largely monoecious, and its cones take longer to mature (two growing seasons); Utah Juniper is also markedly more cold-tolerant.
California Juniper is becoming a popular species for bonsai
; it is also valued in dry areas as a garden plant for its heat and drought tolerance. Not considered globally threatened, one of the southernmost populations, on Guadalupe Island
off Baja California
, was destroyed in the late 19th century by feral
goat
s.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
native to southwestern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
; as the name implies, it is mainly found in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, although its range also extends through most of Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, a short distance into the Great Basin
Great Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
in southern Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and western Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. It grows at moderate altitudes of 750 to 1,600 meters (2,460 - 5,200 ft).
It is a shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
or small tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
reaching 3 to 8 m (9.8 - 26 ft), but rarely up to 10 m (33 ft) tall. The shoots are fairly thick compared to most juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
s, between 1.5 and 2 millimeters (0.059 - 0.079 in.) in diameter. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are arranged in opposite decussate pairs or whorls of three; the adult leaves are scale-like, 1 to 5 mm (0.039 - 0.20 in.) long on lead shoots and 1 to 1.5 mm (0.039 - 0.059 in.) broad. The juvenile leaves (on seedlings only) are needle-like, 5 to 10 mm (0.20 - 0.39 in.) long. The cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
are berry-like, 7 to 13 mm (0.28 - 0.51 in.) in diameter, blue-brown with a whitish waxy bloom, and contain a single seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
(rarely two or three); they are mature in about 8–9 months. The male cones are 2 to 4 mm (0.079 - 0.16 in.) long, and shed their pollen in early spring. It is largely dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, producing cones of only one sex, but around 2% of plants are monoecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with both sexes on the same plant. The bark is typically thin and appears to be "shredded".
It is closely related to Utah Juniper (J. osteosperma) from further east, which shares the stout shoots and relatively large cones, but differs in that Utah Juniper is largely monoecious, and its cones take longer to mature (two growing seasons); Utah Juniper is also markedly more cold-tolerant.
California Juniper is becoming a popular species for bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
; it is also valued in dry areas as a garden plant for its heat and drought tolerance. Not considered globally threatened, one of the southernmost populations, on Guadalupe Island
Guadalupe Island
Guadalupe Island, or Isla Guadalupe is a volcanic island located 241 kilometers off the west coast of Mexico's Baja California peninsula and some 400 kilometers southwest of the city of Ensenada in Baja California state, in the Pacific Ocean...
off Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, was destroyed in the late 19th century by feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s.