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Juniperus osteosperma

Common name:	Desert Juniper	Family:	Cupressaceae
Author:	(Torr.)Little.	Botanical references:	11, 82, 200
Synonyms:	Juniperus utahensis ((Engelm.)Lemmon.), Juniperus californica utahensis (Engelm.)
Known Hazards:	None known
Range:	South-western N. America - California to New Mexico and Wyoming.
Habitat:	Thin, dry rocky or gravelly soils[229] on mountain slopes and high plains in desert regions between the Rocky mountains and the Sierra Nevada[62].
Edibility Rating (1-5):	3	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	2

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	J. californica ssp. osteosperma[B,P] J. californica var. osteosperma[B,P] J. californica var. utahensis[B,G,P] J. knightii[B,P] J. megalocarpa[B,P] J. monosperma var. knightii[B,P] J. occidentalis var. utahensis[B,P] J. utahensis var. megalocarpa[B,P] Sabina osteosperma[B] Sabina utahensis[B,P]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Utah Juniper [H,FEIS,P,B,DEN2],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	osteosperma = bony seed
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Pinales. Cypress family

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen tree growing to 12m at a slow rate. It is hardy to zone 5. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen in October. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Wind. The plant not is self-fertile. We rate it 3/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Woodland, Canopy, Sunny Edge.

Edible Uses

Fruit.

Fruit - raw or cooked[46, 82, 95]. A thin flesh, it is sweet but strongly flavoured of resin and has a mealy texture[82, 85, 229]. Used as a flavouring in stews[216, 257]. The fruit can be eaten fresh or it can be dried and ground into a powder then baked into cakes[61, 82, 183]. The cones are about 6 - 18mm in diameter, they take 2 years to mature[200].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Analgesic Antiseptic Blood tonic Diuretic Kidney Laxative Odontalgic Poultice Salve.

Desert juniper was widely employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints, especially those connected to the bladder and kidneys and to the skin[257]. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism.
The leaves are antiseptic, blood tonic and laxative[216, 257]. A decoction is used in the treatment of constipation[216]. A poultice of the leaves has been applied to the jaw to treat toothaches and sore and swollen gums[257].
A decoction of the young twigs has been used in the treatment of stomach aches, kidney complaints, haemorrhages, coughs and colds[257]. Fumes from the burning twigs have been inhaled in the treatment of headaches and colds[257]. The branches have been used in a sweat bath to treat rheumatism[257]. A strong decoction has been used as an antiseptic wash on sores[257]. A poultice of the mashed twigs has been used as a dressing on burns and swellings[257].
The seeds are analgesic[257]. They have been eaten in the treatment of headaches[257].
The fruits are analgesic, blood tonic and diuretic[257]. A decoction has been used to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps, to induce urination and to treat kidney complaints, fevers, coughs and colds[257]. Externally, a decoction has been used as a poultice on rheumatic joints[257].

Other Uses

Beads Fuel Hair Incense Thatching Tinder Wax Wood.

A wax on the fruit is obtained by simmering the fruit in hot water and skimming off the wax as it rises to the surface. The wax can be used to make aromatic candles[85].
The bark is employed as a tinder and is also made into a slow match[216, 257]. The crushed bark was twisted into a rope, tied at intervals with yucca (Yucca species), and wrapped into a coil. The free end was set on fire and kept smouldering by blowing on it at intervals. Fire could be carried in this fashion for several hours[257].
The bark has been used as a thatching on the roofs of buildings[257].
The dried seeds have been used as beads or as the 'rattle' in rattles[216].
An infusion of the plant has been used as a hair wash[257].
The plant has been burnt as an incense and fumigant in the home[257].
Wood - soft, close-grained, slightly fragrant[82]. It is used occasionally for fuel, fencing etc[82, 229].

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil[1, 11]. Thrives in calcareous soils[1]. A drought tolerant plant once established, succeeding in hot dry positions[200].
A slow-growing but long-lived tree, specimens several centuries old have been recorded[229]. It grows better in dry areas with hot summers, western Britain is generally to cool and wet for this species to thrive[200]. Good crops of fruit are produced in alternate years in the wild[229].
Closely related to J. californica[1, 82].
This species is resistant to honey fungus[88].
The seed takes 2 years to mature[200].
Plants are usually dioecious, though occasional trees with both male and female flowers are sometimes found[229]. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[78, 81]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[11]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[1].
Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[1, 78].
Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months[78].

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[B] Data (Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
[C] Taxon data. from the CalFlora database.
Images from the CalPhoto database.
[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
[DEN] Data _ Photos (Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
[FEIS] Data (Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.

References for Juniperus utahensis (a possible synonym).

[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

References for the family Cupressaceae.

[CHINA] Data Very detailed botanical/identification info. from the Flora of China.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[85] Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.

[88] RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987
Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS. In particular, there are articles on plants that are resistant to honey fungus, oriental vegetables, Cimicifuga spp, Passiflora species and Cucurbits.

[95] Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976 ISBN 0-486-23310-3
Useful wild plants of America. A pocket guide.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[216] Whiting. A. F. Ethnobotany of the Hopi North Arizona Society of Science and Art 1939
A very good guide the the plant uses of the N. American Hopi Indians.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

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Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future - Species Database. Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
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