Return to Native Trees of the Southern Rocky Mountains

This tree, along with the common or New Mexico Pinyon ( Pinus edulis ), is the dominant tree over 60 million acres of the southwestern United States. In Colorado and northern New Mexico Oneseed juniper grows with Pinyon pine and Ponderosa, or in pure stands, on dry rocky slopes in the lower part of the foothills, from 4000 to 7000 feet. Oneseed juniper grows in eastern Colorado, south of Colorado Springs, and in the southern and western parts of Colorado including the White River National Forest.

Oneseed juniper is usually small and shrubby, generally 8 to 15 feet high, but can have as much as 3 feet trunk diameter. The large branches often separate at ground level or below. Older trees may retain dead branches. Usually round-topped, it can have a regular tapering form, about two-thirds as broad as it is tall.

The wood is light yellowish-brown or light reddish-brown, and durable, hard, and heavy. Indians made fibrous mats of the bark. The fruit is eaten by birds, quail, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, ground squirrels, and chipmunks; humans ate the berries in the not-too-distant past. Oneseed juniper wood is regarded as fine firewood by outdoorsmen.

The scientific name is Sabina monosperma (formerly Juniperus monosperma ) , one-seed juniper .

Bark

The bark is thin and ashy grey, ridged, with loose shreds or scales.

Berries

The berries are dark blue or copper colored, reddish-brown, 1/8 to 1/4 inch in diameter, with moist pulp, not dry and mealy. The berries hold one seed (rarely two) which matures in one year.

Needles

Leaves are grey-green or yellow-green; 1/25 to 1/8 inch long. Twigs 1/16 inch thick and four-sided.