Utah juniper -- Juniperus osteosperma

Pronunciation: june-ipp’-er-us ahst-ee-oh-spur'-mah

Leaves: Scale-like on mature twigs; awl-like on juvenile shoots and seedlings, arranged in opposite pairs ⅛” long, more coarse appearance than Rocky Mountain juniper, margins are finely toothed

Cones: Red-brown with a whitish-gray bloom; mature in 2 years – has 1 seed

Bark: Ashy scaly bar; yellowish or gray to red, fibrous and shred into long strips.

Twig: Stiff with thin ashy, scaly bark, covered with overlapping leaves for several years.

Bud: Male cones are found at the tips of twigs; brownish overlapping filaments

Habit/Form: Small shrub-like tree; can reach up to 30’

Other: 4,000’ - 7,500’ typically below pinyon pine

Wood is decay resistant

Cones and foliage are food source for wildlife including, jackrabbits, foxes, coyotes, mule deer, and many bird species