Juniperus scopulorum

Juniperus scopulorum
Juniperus scopulorum in Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Secure  (NatureServe)[2]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Gymnospermae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Cupressales
Family:	Cupressaceae
Genus:	Juniperus
Species:	J. scopulorum
Binomial name
Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.
Natural range of Juniperus scopulorum
Synonyms[3]
List Juniperus excelsa Pursh Juniperus maritima R.P.Adams Juniperus occidentalis var. pleiosperma Engelm. Juniperus virginiana var. montana Vasey Juniperus virginiana var. scopulorum (Sarg.) Lemmon Juniperus virginiana subsp. scopulorum (Sarg.) A.E.Murray Sabina maritima (R.P.Adams) Y.Yang & K.S.Mao Sabina scopulorum (Sarg.) Rydb.

Juniperus scopulorum, the Rocky Mountain juniper, is a species of juniper native to western North America, from southwest Canada to the Great Plains of the United States and small areas of northern Mexico. They are the most widespread of all the New World junipers. They are relatively small trees, occasionally just a large bush or stunted snag. They tend to be found in isolated groves or even as single trees rather than as the dominant tree of a forest. Though they can survive fires, they are vulnerable to them especially when young and this is one of the factors that can limit their spread into grasslands.

Rocky Mountain junipers provide habitat and food for wildlife. They provide cover to a range of species, from small birds and mammals to deer and bighorn sheep. Their berry-like cones are eaten by many animals and their scaly leaves and small twigs are browsed in small amounts by large herbivores. The primary human use is in landscaping for aesthetic purposes, to shelter habitations, or attract fruit-eating birds. They are also used in small amounts for their insect repellent and rot-resistant wood or as firewood for heating.