November EcoQuest - Jumpin' Junipers!
With fall here, most of our plants are now finished flowering until next year. While it might seem like there are no more plants to observe, this is far from true! One plant that stays green year round are Junipers. Junipers, in the genus Juniperus, are conifers (gymnosperms), and as such produce seed cones instead of flowers. There are two species of junipers along the Front Range – Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain juniper) and Juniperus communis (common juniper). Both produce round, bluish seed cones that are usually referred to as “berries.”
The two juniper species are easy to tell apart. Juniperus communis is a low-growing shrub with spreading branches, and spreading leaves, while J. scopulorum is an upright tree with appressed, scalelike leaves. Common juniper is found throughout forests and woodlands. Enjoy gin? Well, gin gets its distinctive flavor from common juniper seed cones! In fact, the name gin is derived from the Dutch jenever, which means “juniper.” Juniperus communis even has the distinction of being the most widespread conifer in the world, and is the only juniper species that occurs in both North America and Eurasia.
Rocky Mountain juniper is common in the foothills, and is often found with Gambel oak or in rocky places. In fact, its scientific name translates to “juniper of the mountains.” Rocky Mountain juniper is common throughout the western U.S.
Help Denver Botanic Gardens document the range of these junipers by photographing as many Juniperus as possible in the month of November. Remember to post only native or naturalized plants, not cultivated trees or shrubs. Post your findings to iNaturalist so they will be automatically added to the Denver EcoFlora Project.
