1 The Cupressaceae, commonly called the Cypress family contains about 25-30 genera and over 100 species. The scientific name for the family, Cupressaceae, comes from the Latin name for an Italian Cypress. The genus name, Juniperus, is what people called the plant in ancient Europe and thus was chosen by scientist when naming the genus. Species of Juniperus have tiny scale-like leaves and produce fleshy cones that are erroneously called berries (See photograph on preceding page) . In our area, people often refer to these plants as cedar. This common name is used in the bible but actually refers to the genus Cedrus, which occurs in Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Our most common species is Juniperus ashei J. Buchholz, commonly called Ashe’s juniper, mountain-cedar, post-cedar, or rock-cedar. The species name is for its discoverer William Ashe (1872-1932), a North Carolina botanist and forester with the United States Forest Service. I remember as a young boy, one Christmas, when my parents did not have money for a tree, we went out and cut an Ash’s Juniper and decorated it wit fall foliage and popcorn. I remember that Christmas, because of that event, better than most. Ashe’s juniper is also a component of the nesting habitat of the golden-cheeked warbler, a beautiful but endangered Texas bird. Much of this habitat has been lost due to urbanization and that coupled with nest parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds has resulted in a decline in the warbler.

There are about 60 species of Juniperus and their decay resistant wood is used for fence posts. They are wind pollinated and cause allergies. Their cones are an important source of food for birds and the seeds survive digestion and are spread by birds. Because they were originally limited by wild fires, fire suppression has allowed these shrubs to spread causing problems for ranchers and having significant negative impacts on other native plants.

An archeological site in Val Verde County, Texas with juniper wood in a hearth dates to 7,000 BC. Smoke of various species was used for purification and cleansing by native people and long strips of Ashe juniper bark was used to make baskets, mats, and cradles. Comanche and Kiowa tribes burned it during peyote rituals and the Kiowa carved “love flutes” from the red heartwood. These flutes were played during Kiowa courting rituals. One year on vacation in New Mexico, I bought my sons red cedar flutes and both still play them from time to time, but as far as I know, there flute playing never attracted a potential mate.

Sources: Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas. Texas Research Foundation, Renner, Texas.

2 Diggs, G. M., B. L. Lipscomb, & R. J. O’Kennon. 1999. Shinners & Mahler’s Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute of Texas. Fort Worth, Texas. Tull, D. 2013. Edible and useful plants of the southwest: TX, NM and AZ. University of Texas Press. Austin, Texas. Turner, M. W. 2009. Remarkable Plants of Texas: Uncommon Accounts of Our Common Natives. University of Texas Press. Austin, Texas

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