Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) occurs in every county
of the state, and it covers more acreage in Nevada than any other tree. It is extremely
adaptable, occurring in
low valleys as well as in high-elevation mountain shrub
communities, ranging in elevation from 2000 to 8000 feet. Utah juniper is distributed over at least
200 mountain ranges and is absent only in the northernmost mountain ranges of
the state.
Utah juniper is most commonly found as an associate of
singleleaf pinyon, Pinus monophylla,
and is a key component of Nevada's
pinyon-juniper woodlands. The more drought-tolerant juniper dominates at lower
elevations and becomes scarce at moderate elevations, where pinyon dominates; it
then reappears on dry, rocky ridgetops. Utah
juniper is usually the first of the two species to establish following fire or
other disturbances and creates the environmental conditions in which pinyon can
subsequently establish.
The growth
form of Utah
juniper is highly variable. It can occur as a tree with a single straight trunk
or more commonly as a multi-stemmed, arborescent shrub. Utah junipers seldom reach over thirty feet
in height, although they can have tremendous girth, exceeding four feet in
diameter. The shaggy, fibrous bark of the Utah juniper is distinctive, and its cedar-like
sprays, light green in color, are arranged in stiff clumps.
Utah juniper produces
berry-like cones that may contain one or more seeds. These "berries" are
important fall and winter food for numerous wildlife species. Although the
foliage is of low palatability and has high volatile oil content, it is an
important winter browse for mule deer in Nevada.
Native
peoples of the Great Basin made extensive use of Utah juniper. The wood was used for
construction materials, carved utensils, and fuel for cooking, while the
fibrous bark was woven into sandals, clothing, and rope. Nineteenth century Euro-American
settlers similarly valued the rot-resistant wood for construction materials and
fence posts. Today juniper is cut for firewood, and juniper fence posts are
still commonly seen on remote ranches. Perhaps most importantly, juniper trees
provide shade for humans, wildlife, and livestock on some of the hottest sites
of the pinyon-juniper woodland.
Suggested Reading:
David A. Charlet. Atlas of Nevada Conifers: A Phytogeographic Reference. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1996.
Ronald M. Lanner. Trees of the Great Basin: A Natural History. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1983.
