Rocky Mountain Juniper

About Rocky Mountain Juniper in Alberta

Rocky Mountain juniper is a native Alberta evergreen of dry rocky slopes, ravines, coulees, montane/subalpine settings, and scattered southeastern river-valley sites. For ARA, it is a high-value heritage species because old trees may survive for centuries on harsh dry sites, while planted horticultural junipers need to be separated carefully from wild native records.

Identification: Foliage occurs in two forms. Juvenile leaves are awl-shaped, spreading, and about 3 to 6 mm long in Alberta material. Adult scale leaves are appressed, about 1 to 3 mm long, pale green, yellowish green, blue-green, or glaucous blue-gray.

Alberta range and habitat: Rocky Mountain juniper is native but uncommon in Alberta. It is found primarily in southwestern Alberta in Montane and Subalpine Natural Subregions, with small populations in coulees and river valleys of the Dry Mixedgrass Subregion in southeastern Alberta.