# Seaside Juniper (*Juniperus maritima*) The Seaside Juniper is a small, bushy plant that grows near the ocean. It has lovely green needles and produces tiny blue berries that birds love to eat! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Seaside Juniper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Juniperus_maritima_5801.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juniperus_maritima_5801.JPG) ## Appearance The Seaside Juniper has a low, sprawling form with stiff, scale-like leaves that are often a vibrant blue-green or gray-green. Its bark is reddish-brown and peels in strips, and it produces small, round, waxy blue-black 'berries' that are actually modified cones. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Cupressaceae - **Genus:** Juniperus ## Interesting facts - Birds love its cones, helping to spread new juniper seeds far and wide! - Gin gets its unique, zesty flavor from these tiny juniper cones! - Its 'berries' are actually tiny, fleshy cones, not true fruits at all! - Some juniper trees can live for over 2,000 years, like ancient sentinels! ## Special abilities - **Salt Shield:** Seaside Juniper has specialized leaves that can tolerate salty sea spray, helping it survive harsh coastal environments. - **Wind Bender:** Seaside Juniper's flexible branches and low-growing habit help it withstand strong coastal winds without breaking. - **Sand Anchor:** Seaside Juniper can grow extensive root systems that help stabilize shifting sand dunes, preventing erosion. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-400 cm - **Spread:** 150-600 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Feeds on its nutrient-rich 'berries'. - **Eaten by:** [Western Bluebird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-bluebird) (*Sialia mexicana*) — Enjoys the fleshy cones as a food source. - **Shelter:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Finds safe cover within its dense branches. - **Shelter:** [Western Fence Lizard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-fence-lizard) (*Sceloporus occidentalis*) — Hides from predators among its needles. ## Traits - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [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. - [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water. - [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. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [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 Always look but don't touch the berries, as they might not be safe to eat. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Seaside 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 Seaside Juniper? 100-400 cm ### How wide does Seaside Juniper spread? 150-600 cm ### When does Seaside Juniper bloom? Spring ### Is Seaside Juniper edible? No ### Is Seaside Juniper toxic? Mild ### What is Seaside Juniper's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Seaside Juniper pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Sabine Channel Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sabine-channel-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Dionisio Point Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dionisio-point-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [English Camp - San Juan Island National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/english-camp-san-juan-island-national-historical-park) — Washington, US · Park [View all places to see Seaside Juniper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/seaside-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: [Seaside Juniper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/seaside-juniper)