Juniperus (scopulorum)

Mark E. Majerus USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center 99 South River Road, Rte. 2, Box 1189 Bridger, Montana 59014-9718 (406) 662-3579 (406) 662-3428 (fax) mmajerus@mt.nrcs.usda.gov http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/mtpmc

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Family Scientific Name:	Cupressaceae
Family Common Name:	Juniper Family
Scientific Name:	Juniperus scopulorum Sarg.
Common Name:	Rocky Mountain Juniper
Species Code:	JUNSCO
Ecotype:	Numerous northern Plains seed sources from Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. Currently propagating NRCS accession number 9081849, an ecotype from the Old Faithful area of Yellowstone National Park.
Propagation Goal:	plants
Propagation Method:	seed
ProductType:	Bareroot (field grown)
Stock Type:	2+0 or 3+0 bareroot plants
Time To Grow:	2 Years
Propagule Collection:	Fruit (berry-like cone) is collected by hand in late fall to mid-winter. Avoid collecting fruit with evidence of insect damage (small exit holes). Maturation requires two years, with both 1-year and 2-year fruit found simultaneously on the same plant. Mature fruit is dark blue to nearly black in color. Store fruit in sacks in a cooler maintained at 34 to 37øF and 80+% relative humidity prior to cleaning. Do not allow skin to dry out and become tough prior to cleaning. Allow adequate air circulation to prevent conditions that result in molding of fruit.
Propagule Processing:	Fruit pulp is very sticky and requires presoaking in a weak lye solution or the use of citrus handcleaner plus pumice during processing. Place 3- to 5-lb lots of berries in a Dybvig macerator at a time. Add citrus handcleaner and water at intervals during processing to remove the pulp and sap from the seed. Continue adding cleaner and water until the seed appears clean and no longer feels sticky. Float off light seed and debris by repeatedly rinsing the seed with water. Spread the seed on kraft paper in a warm dry location and allow to dry for 24 to 48 hours. Store in paper envelopes or woven cotton sacks in a cool environment such as a basement.
Pre-Planting Treatments:	Various durations of warm moist stratification followed by 6 to 8 months of cold moist chilling is the standard dormancy breaking recommendation. The use of 30 to 60 minutes of acid scarification prior to the aforementioned treatment has improved germination in limited trials as the PMC. A cold:warm:cold schedule is also reported to improve germination, although it does not shorten the dormancy breaking period.
Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:	Rototill the seedbed to break up clods, loosen the soil, and level the site prior to planting. Sow the seed with a belt seeder or drill. Soil moistureneeds to be such that rototilling leaves behind a fine, fluffy seedbed. Lightly firm the seedbed with a roller or packer prior to sowing if the soil surface is too soft. Sow 25 to 50 seeds per linear foot to a depth of 0.25 to 0.5 inches. We maintain a 4-ft wide bed (5-ft between beds), and plant 3 to 4 rows of seeds per bed depending on production interval. We cover our seeds with excelsior mat to maintain soil moisture and minimize animal predation. We sow fresh Rocky Mountain juniper in October or November. Germination occurs the second spring after sowing. Mid-summer sowing should result in germination the next spring. We have better and more consistent germination with container production of this species than bareroot, possibly because of the controlled environment during the dormancy breaking period.
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping:	We harvest 2-0 or 3-0 bareroot plants as soon as the ground thaws in early spring. A "U" blade mounted to a 3-point system on the back of a tractor is used. Beds are undercut in two directions prior to using the blade to lift the plants. Bundles of 10 to 25 plants are tied together, the roots trimmed to a uniform length then packed in moist sphagnum or peat moss wrapped in plastic. The plants are stored in a walk-in cooler maintained at 34 to 37øF and 80+% relative humidity until needed and then shipped in heavy wax coated boxes as priority ground mail early in the week.
Length of Storage:	Fully dormant bareroot plants store well for several weeks at 34 to 37øF and 80+% relative humidity.
Other Comments:	One of our most hardy and useful conservation plants, this species presents numerous propagation obstacles - but is worth the effort.

Citation:

Scianna, Joe. 2003. Propagation protocol for production of Bareroot (field grown) Juniperus scopulorum Sarg. plants 2+0 or 3+0 bareroot plants; USDA NRCS - Bridger Plant Materials Center Bridger, Montana. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.