About Juniperus excelsa M.-Bieb.
Juniperus excelsa M.-Bieb. is a large shrub or tree that typically grows 6–20 metres (20–66 feet) tall, and very rarely reaches 25 m (82 ft) in height. Its trunk can grow up to 2 m (6+1⁄2 ft) in diameter, and it forms a crown that is broadly conical, rounded, or irregular in shape. This species produces two forms of leaves: juvenile needle-like leaves that are 8–10 millimetres (5⁄16–3⁄8 in) long, which grow on seedlings, and adult scale-leaves that are 0.6–3 mm long, which grow on older plants. Juniperus excelsa is mostly dioecious, meaning male and female reproductive structures grow on separate individual plants, though some individual plants produce both sexes. The seed cones of this species are berry-like, measuring 6–11 mm in diameter. They are blue-black with a whitish waxy coating, hold 3 to 6 seeds each, and reach maturity after approximately 18 months of growth. The male cones are 3–4 mm long, and release their pollen in early spring. Juniperus excelsa often grows alongside Juniperus foetidissima. It can be distinguished from J. foetidissima by its slenderer shoots, which are 0.7–1.3 mm in diameter, while J. foetidissima shoots are 1.2–2 mm in diameter, and by its grey-green leaf colour, rather than the mid-green leaves of J. foetidissima. The Algum wood mentioned in the Bible may come from this species, but this identification is not definite.
