I was at the casino on the Warm Springs reservation in Eastern Oregon over the weekend and noticed a juniper that was sprouting little green cones alongside the normal blueish berries. These cones looked like minature Spruce cones, only more round, swirled with densely packed bracts. Some were soft and deep green others were dried to a crunchy dark brown. The bracts could be separated out, but I didn't see any seeds inside. The cones were about 1cm in diameter and twice as big as the normal bluish green berries that were growing alongside. This doesn't seem normal for a Juniper so I went to various web sites to attempt an identification. So far I can't find anything that looks close. These didn't look like the pictures of male cones that I found. Could this just a normal monoecious (both male and female flowers on the same plane) Juniper like Occidentalis? Sorry no picture.
Hi Kitt Carson: < Could this just a normal monoecious (both male and female flowers on the same plane) Juniper like Occidentalis? > Some species of Junipers are monoecious and other Juniper species are dioecious. Even though there is a Juniperus occidentalis, I automatically equate "Occidentalis" with Thuja, probably because I've been around the Thuja much more than I have one of the Western natives of Juniper. I think by your description of the plant that we will need to see some pics of it. Spruce-like cones on a Juniper just does not seem right to me. I keep asking myself what I am missing, what am I not remembering? I am not so sure this plant is a Juniper and that is what bothers me the most. I would want to see what the berries look like, are there clumps of cones and is it possible for a Juniper to have miniature cones shaped like a Spruce? You've got me "going" on this one. Jim
Probably not Thuja Thanks for the interest. From internet pics it probably wasn't Thuja because these cones were soft, green and had very dense bracts. I had to review my "spruce cone" description and I'd have to say they were shaped kinda like black spruce cones (round not elongated) but were very tiny. I'm not very confident that it was a Juniper. Apparently all kinds of red cedar have similar berries. Unfortunately this will have to wait until later. I won't get back to Ka-Ne-Ta to take pics for awhile. If anyone happens to be there though, this tree was near the little tee-pee in the Salmon bake area at the resort on the hill. Later..
why don't you ask a Master Gardener in your area Hi Kitt I'm a Master Gardener here in Seattle WA, I read you post and the first thing I though of was to see if OSU could Identify it for you ? Its really hard to identify trees without an image I think. But Look into the Master Gardener's they can help if not then they can have it sent to OSU to have it ID for you, I would love to help but I can't without a photo. Sorry
