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Native Plant Society of Texas

Oneseed Juniper

Juniperus monosperma

Other common name(s):

One-seed Juniper, Cherrystone Juniper, New Mexico Juniper, West Texas Juniper

Family:

Cupressaceae (Cypress Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Chihuahuan Deserts, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Canadian/Cimarron High Plains
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

6
to
20
ft.

Spread

6
to
20
ft.

Leaf Retention

Evergreen

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Gravelly, Dry

Light Requirement

Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Orange

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Berry, Forage, Nesting Material

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Slow growing, rugged, and easy to care for. Very cold hardy and drought tolerant juniper. A pioneer species that grows well in disturbed sites. Susceptible to mistletoe (prune it out). It can be pruned to a single trunk, but is most interesting in its wild form. Makes a good windbreak. Junipers are readily transplanted when young. Their ornamental shapes and evergreen foliage add visual interest to the garden. Propagation: seed, sprout transplant.

Comments

Blooms March-April. One-seed juniper is a large shrub or small tree, with a gnarled, multi-trunked appearance in the wild. Bark is thin, scaly and ashy. Fragrant foliage is scale-like on mature twigs; needle-like on young shoots and seedlings. Bluish-black to copper-colored fruits occur on the female plants.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Juniperus occidentalis var. gymnocarpa, Sabina monosperma

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=JUMO, 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Juniperus+monosperma&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=8235&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg 316. 6) Miller George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd ed, pg 48. 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=194853#null, 8) https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2006/Planting-Junipers-for-Wildlife#:~:text=Not%20only%20do%20native%20junipers,nests%20deep%20inside%20these%20conifers., 9) https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/junmon/all.html#:~:text=Seed%20dispersal:%20Dispersal%20of%20oneseed,to%20bird%20dispersal%20%5B30%5D.

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Stem Cutting One-seed juniper is propagated through cutting, best done at 20-30°C except in winter. Select robust new branches, cut 5-15 cm long with over 3 buds. The top cut should be level, 1 cm from the first bud, and the bottom cut should be oblique, 0.5 cm from the last bud. 1) https://www.picturethisai.com/wiki/Juniperus_monosperma.html#:~:text=Care%20Guide%20for%20One%2Dseed%20juniper&text=Water:%20Immediately%20after%20planting%2C%20water,cm%20from%20the%20last%20bud. 2) https://practicalplants.org/wiki/juniperus_monosperma/#:~:text=The%20seed%20requires%20a%20period,page%20to%20add%20your%20knowledge.
Seed Stratification The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years. https://practicalplants.org/wiki/juniperus_monosperma/#:~:text=The%20seed%20requires%20a%20period,page%20to%20add%20your%20knowledge.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason