Ashe juniper

The feathery foliage grows in dense sprays, bright green in color. The leaves are scale-like, 2-5 mm long, and produced on rounded shoots. It is a dioecious species, with separate male and female plants. The seed cones are globose to oblong, 3-6 mm long, and soft, pulpy and berry-like, green at first, maturing purple about 8 months after pollination. They contain 1-2 seeds, which are dispersed when birds eat the cones and pass the seeds in their droppings. The male cones are 3-5 mm long, yellow, turning brown after pollen release in December to February.

Juniperus ashei (Ashe Juniper) is a drought-tolerant evergreen shrub or small tree, native to northeastern Mexico and the south-central United States north to southern Missouri; the largest areas are in central Texas, where extensive stands occur. It grows up to 5-10 m tall, rarely 15 m, and provides erosion control and year-round shade for wildlife and livestock. The feathery foliage grows in dense sprays, bright green in colour. More

Thousands of juniperus ashei are growing on Bear Springs Blossom Nature Preserve a 125 acre Nature- Birding- Wildflower reserve with many trails in the southern part of the Texas Hill Country. Home and Center of Bear Springs Blossom Nature Conservation Group Inc. More

Juniperus ashei trees in the Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma Mature pollen cones Close-up of pollen cones Seed cones More