The juniper is one of the most successful unsuccessful plants in the world. This conifer, which belongs to the Cypress family, has over 50 species found in every continent save Antarctica. There are 15 species in the United States alone, naturally occurring in every state except Hawaii.
The common juniper is usually a low-spreading shrub, with small prickly needles set in whorls of three. “Common” is a fitting name: this juniper has the largest range of any woody plant in the world. The shrub’s range circumscribes the northern hemisphere, stretching from Alaska east to Japan.
The Rocky Mountain variety is among the tallest junipers, and also among the highest. As the name implies, this tree is found at elevation of 5,000 to 7,500 feet along the Rocky Mountain range in the US and Canada.
Tough Times
From the scraggly trees in the foothills to the perfectly shaped shrub found on manicured lawns, junipers are everywhere. So what about the unsuccessful part? For starters, it takes 14-18 months for juniper seeds to mature, and even then only one in a hundred will germinate.
In the first 20 years of its life, the average juniper will grow to be a full five feet tall. During its entire life span, the hearty rocky mountain juniper may stretch to 25 feet, but even a height of 15 feet is rare. Partially because of their slow rate of growth, junipers are highly susceptible to fire, which will kill all but the thickest of these trees. Seeds rarely survive, and junipers must usually be reintroduced to a scorched area by animals.
Why Junipers Work
With all these factors going against them, how did junipers get to be so widespread? One reason may be that these are not very picky plants. Junipers can be found in over a dozen ecosystems. For instance, while rocky mountain junipers prefer deep, rich loam they will even grow on dry, rocky hillsides where there is no soil!
Then there is the longevity factor. That rare juniper that manages to sprout and survive fires can live a very, very long time. In fact, scientists have found rocky mountain junipers that are almost 2,000 years old—and they suspect that there are even older ones around!
Junipers also depend on animals for their success—and they return the favor by providing food and shelter for many species of birds and mammals. Many junipers are usually dioecious, meaning that male and female reproductive parts are found on different plants. The birds and mammals that eat the “berries” from the female plants are crucial in dispersing juniper seeds. Junipers also serve as roosting and nesting sites for many of our native birds.
Junipers and Native Americans
Animals are not the only ones to find junipers useful. Native Americans in these parts used junipers for just about everything. The branches were turned into digging sticks and farming tools. The juniper’s wood was made into fence posts to keep domestic animals and bows to help catch wild ones. The scaly bark could be used to make sandals, mats, baskets, and other textiles. Shredded bark was even used as padding for diapers. Juniper berries were often integrated into necklaces and other jewelry.
Native Americans also looked past the often bitter taste of juniper berries to make teas and other drinks that were believed to have many medicinal properties. Juniper tea could be used as a diuretic, to help indigestion, to fight colds, and even to ease the pains of labor. However, because it causes dilation, pregnant women were warned to stay away from juniper drinks.
Junipers and Us
Today, it is important that we leave the junipers in this area alone so that they can add to everyone’s enjoyment of our open space and provide food and shelter for wildlife. But if you want to give the berry of this amazing tree a try, it is possible to find juniper-based teas and seasoning. You could also have a sip of genievre. That’s the French word for juniper… and for the drink that gets its distinct flavor from juniper berries: gin. Salut!
