Common Juniper, Dwarf Juniper, Ground Juniper, Prostrate Juniper
Juniperus communis var. montana
Synonyms: Juniperus alpina, Juniperus communis ssp. alpina, Juniperus communis ssp. nana, Juniperus communis ssp. saxatilis, Juniperus communis var. alpina, Juniperus communis var. jackii, Juniperus communis var. montana, Juniperus communis var. sibirica, Juniperus nana, Juniperus sibirica
The photo above shows the awl-like leaves of
common juniper. Notice on both the photos above and below that that the upper
surface has a noticeable whitish bloom. Photographed on steep, rocky slopes
immediately to the south of Crystal Lake on the western slopes of Mt. Adams................September
25, 2005.
Common juniper is the one conifer on Mt. Adams
that is truly a shrub, with the trunk and stems prostrate along the ground.
Plants will often get as much as 2.5 meters in diameter. They are found on rocky,
exposed ridgetops, lava fields and cliffs on Mt. Adams up to about 7500'.
Paul Slichter