Practical
Plants

Juniperus ashei

Ashe Juniper

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Juniperus genus in the family Cupressaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
6 m
Fertility
Self sterile, Wind
Flower type
dioecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Fruit - raw or cooked. The cones are about 6 - 8mm in diameter[3], they are thin-skinned sweet, juicy and resinous[7][4].

Plant part
Fruit

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Wood - close-grained, hard, durable, slightly fragrant, light and easily worked[7][4]. The wood is not large enough nor common enough for commercial production, though it is used locally for fencing posts, telegraph poles railroad ties and fuel[7][4].

Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
Southern N. America - Missouri to Texas, south to Mexico.
Habitat
Found at lower elevations, growing mainly on limestone hills or in soils underladen with limestone[4].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[5][6]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[2]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[1]. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[1][5]. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months[5].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil[1][2][3]. Established plants are drought tolerant, succeeding in hot dry positions[3]. They require a sheltered position in full sun[6]. This species is only hardy in the milder areas of Britain[6]. A slow-growing plant, though it may live for 200 - 350 years in good conditions[4]. Fruit production is cyclic, a year of heavy crops being followed by 1 - 2 years of light crops[4]. The seed ripens in its first year[4]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  5. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2↩3

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