About Juniperus pinchotii Sudw.
Juniperus pinchotii Sudw. is an evergreen coniferous plant that grows as either a shrub or a small tree, reaching 1 to 6 meters (3 and 1/2 to 19 and 1/2 feet) in height. It is usually multistemmed, with a dense, rounded crown. Its pale gray bark peels away in thin longitudinal strips, revealing an orange-brown layer underneath. The plant's ultimate shoots are 1.1 to 1.8 millimeters thick. Mature leaves are scale-like: they measure 1 to 2 mm long and 0.5 to 1.5 mm broad on small shoots, and can grow up to 12 mm long on vigorous shoots. These scale-like leaves are arranged in alternating whorls of three, or in opposite pairs. Needle-like juvenile leaves are only produced on young seedlings. The species produces berry-like cones that have soft, resinous flesh. These cones range in shape from subglobose to ovoid, and are 5 to 8 mm long, rarely reaching 10 mm. They are orange-red, often covered in a pale pink waxy bloom, and contain one or two seeds. The cones reach maturity about 12 months after pollination. Male cones are 3 to 4 mm long, and shed their pollen in the fall. Juniperus pinchotii is usually dioecious, meaning male and female cones grow on separate plants, though occasional monoecious individuals with both cone types on a single plant do occur.
