Rocky
Mountain Juniper is commonly the initial forest type in
the ecological gradient of the Helena National Forest. The
tree exists commonly in dry, low elevation sites relative
to the common Douglas fir and lodgepole pine forest types.
However with the suppression of wildfires, the primary disturbance
regime in the area, it is much more common to see species
like Douglas fir and lodgepole pine coexisting within the
niche of Rocky Mountain Juniper.
Rocky Mountain Juniper is the most “tree-like”
of the three Junipers that exist on the Helena National Forest.
It has scale-like leaves, which appear to overlap each other.
They are often pale green in color, sometimes appearing grayish.
The cones, often referred to as “berries”, are
small, round, and have a fleshy blue surface. The bark of
Rocky Mountain Juniper is stringy, and narrow, often brown
to red in color.
Common uses of Rocky Mountain Juniper vary
from firewood, to finishing lumber. It is closely related
to eastern redcedar, which is the primary component of “cedar”
trunks, and cabinets. Both woods have a similar appearance
and smell. However, because of it’s small size and extreme
taper the tree has never experienced the popularity of an
economical timber species in the west.
Horizontal Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis)
Horizontal
Juniper is the second of three Juniper species that exist
on the Helena National Forest. It is a creeping shrub, that
is a common understory species associated with many of the
predominate habitat types.
Like Rocky Mountain Juniper, horizontal Juniper
has “scale-like” leaves, and small “berry-like”
cones. The major difference is the shape of the plant, since
the horizontal Juniper does not grow vertically. Horizontal
Juniper expands over a greater zone along the ecological gradient,
climbing up into alpine habitats.
Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Common Juniper
is the third type of Juniper existing on the Helena National
forest. Common Juniper gets its name because it exists nearly
all over the world. Like horizontal Juniper, it spans several
different ecological gradients in the forest, appearing as
a shrub layer understory species.
Common Juniper as well does not grow vertically,
but is easily differentiated from horizontal Juniper by its
leaves. The leaves of common Juniper are not scaly, but rather
“needle-like” and are kind of spiky. Common Juniper
also has small “berry-like” cones.
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