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PLBack in AZ! Here's a bit about junipers 🌳
Technically, there are more than 4 junipers in Arizona, but the four I mentioned in the video are the main native species of large shrub to tree forming junipers.
Juniperus monosperma (one-seeded juniper)
J. osteosperma (Utah juniper)
J. depeana (alligator juniper)
J. scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper)
Easy identifying characteristics:
🫐 One-seed junipers have one seed in their fruits and are usually multi-stemmed.
🪵 Utah junipers are the ones with the super shaggy bark - hence their other common name, "shagbark juniper."
🐊 Alligator junipers are the ones with super sappy needles and square alligator skin bark.
⛰️ Rocky Mountain junipers have a very light, almost blue color to their leaves, and they are usually droopy.
Common junipers (J. communis) are lower growing shrubs that you definitely won't confuse for any of the other four.
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We'll be traveling around the Southwest visiting family for the holidays, so look forward to naturalist content outside of the Pacific Northwest for the rest of December.
#rainwalkrewild #southwest #Arizona #junipers #nature #arizonanature #Arizonaoutdoors #aznature #azliving #arizonalife #azoutdoors #azplants #arizonaplants #arizonatrees #natureeducation #desertplants #southwestbotany #southerncoloradoplateau #rockymountains #botany #plants #plantlover #outdoors #outdoorlife #outdooreducation #naturalist #foraging #forager
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