# Ashe juniper (*Juniperus ashei*) The Ashe juniper is a small tree with soft, green leaves. It grows in warm areas and provides shelter for many animals. Its berries are food for birds and other wildlife! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Ashe juniper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Juniperus_ashei_Wichita_Mountain.jpg&width=800) Photo: katsrcool from Edmond, OK, USA, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juniperus_ashei_Wichita_Mountain.jpg) ## Appearance The Ashe juniper is a medium-sized evergreen tree with a dense, rounded crown and reddish-brown, shredding bark. Its scale-like, dark green leaves are often covered in small, waxy blue-gray cones, which are technically modified berries, giving the tree a distinctive frosted appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Cupressaceae - **Genus:** Juniperus ## Interesting facts - Its 'berries' aren't true berries, but tiny seed cones! - Its wood smells like a cedar chest or pencil! - Some call it 'cedar,' but it's actually a juniper! - This tree is famous for making people sneeze in winter! ## Special abilities - **Water Whisperer:** Ashe juniper has tiny, waxy, scale-like leaves that help it conserve precious water in dry climates. - **Winter Pollinator:** Ashe juniper can release clouds of pollen into the cold winter wind, pollinating before most other plants. - **Rooted Recovery:** Ashe juniper can regrow from its base after damage like fire, helping it bounce back stronger. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 300-1000 cm - **Spread:** 200-800 cm - **Bloom Season:** Winter-early spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — eats its waxy blue cones for food - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses its evergreen foliage for sustenance - **Shelter:** Golden-cheeked Warbler (*Setophaga chrysoparia*) — nests exclusively in its shreddy bark - **Shelter:** [White-footed Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-footed-mouse) (*Peromyscus leucopus*) — finds shelter and hiding spots in its thick canopy ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Be careful not to touch the sharp leaves too much, as they can be prickly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ashe juniper? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Ashe juniper? 300-1000 cm ### How wide does Ashe juniper spread? 200-800 cm ### When does Ashe juniper bloom? Winter-early spring ### Is Ashe juniper edible? No ### Is Ashe juniper toxic? Mild ### What is Ashe juniper's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Ashe juniper pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Lost Maples State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lost-maples-state-natural-area) — Texas, US · State Park - [Pace Bend Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pace-bend-park) — Texas, US · Park - [Friedrich Wilderness Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/friedrich-wilderness-park) — Texas, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Ashe juniper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ashe-juniper) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Ashe juniper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ashe-juniper)