Utah Juniper (Utah Cedar)
Family: Cupressaceae – Cypress Family
Juniperus osteosperma is the only species from this family represented at Arches National Park. Evergreen tree - conifer; 6.6' to 13.2' (2 to 4 m) tall
Leaves: scalelike or awl-shaped; evergreen; leaves typically opposite; leaves have a conspicuous resin gland on the back
Flowers: conifer (see cone description under fruits)
Pollinators: wind; not self-fertile
Fruits: staminate (male) cones brown at the terminal ends or in joints between the leaf and stem 0.12” to 0.16” (3 to 4 mm) long; ovulate (female) cones becoming blue at maturity and look berrylike 0.24” to 0.48” (6 to 12 mm) thick or more
Blooms in Arches National Park: March, April, May
Habitat in Arches National Park: riparian, desert shrub and pinyon-juniper communities
Location seen: widespread
Other: The genus name, “Juniperus”, is the Latin name for "juniper" and the species name, “osteosperma”, comes from the Greek and means "hard or bony seed".
The bark is shreddy. The oldest Utah juniper in Utah has been aged at more than 1275 years.
Did You Know?
The common raven displays abilities to play and problem-solve that are rare among animals. This member of the crow family is also very vocal, communicating with over a dozen sounds. Perhaps because of these qualities, ravens have achieved a certain stature in both European and Native American folklore.