Juniperus californica
California juniper
(c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cupressaceae · Type: Shrub / Tree · Native
Juniperus californica (California juniper) is a native California shrub / tree in the Cupressaceae family, recognized by size, elevation, and cone characteristics.
California juniper is a native shrub found in the North Coast Ranges Interior, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Sutter Buttes, San Francisco Bay Area, South Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Desert regions in dry slopes, flats, and pinyon/juniper woodland at elevations of 50 to 1,500 meters. A distinctive woody plant with multiple trunks growing 1 to 4 meters tall, it features thin gray bark and scale-like leaves arranged in whorls of three. Its leaves are closely appressed with obvious glands, creating a dense, textured appearance. The plant produces small seed cones 7 to 12 millimeters long, which begin blue and mature to a rich red-brown color. Seeds are 5 to 7 millimeters long, pointed, and angular, contributing to the juniper's rugged desert and mountain landscape presence.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by size, elevation, and cone characteristics
Habitat and range
Habitat: dry slopes, flats, pinyon/juniper woodland
Elevation: 50-1500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Kern, Mariposa, San Benito, Orange, Monterey, Alameda, Butte, Contra Costa, Lake, Colusa, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, Tehama, Stanislaus, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, San Joaquin, Tulare, Sutter, Shasta, Glenn, Lassen, Merced, Napa, Placer, Tuolumne, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Modoc, San Francisco, El Dorado, Yolo, Plumas
Outside California: southern Nevada, northwestern Arizona, Baja California (Cedros, Guadalupe islands)
How to tell it apart
vs Hesperocyparis: Juniper has fleshy berry-like cones; Hesperocyparis has woody round cones with shield-shaped scales.; vs Pinus: Juniper needles are single or in whorls of 3; pine needles come bundled in groups of 2-5 with papery sheaths.; vs Calocedrus: Juniper has berry-like cones; Calocedrus has elongated woody cones with flattened, scale-like sprays.; vs Cupressus: Juniper has berry-like cones; Cupressus has round woody cones with shield-shaped scales.; vs Salvia: Juniper is woody with evergreen needles or scales; Salvia is herbaceous with opposite aromatic leaves and lipped flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Juniperus californica native to California?
Yes. Juniperus californica is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Juniperus californica grow?
Juniperus californica occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Kern, Mariposa, San Benito, Orange, Monterey and other counties, at elevations of 50-1500 m.
What plant family does Juniperus californica belong to?
Juniperus californica is in the Cupressaceae family, genus Juniperus.
What habitat does Juniperus californica grow in?
Juniperus californica grows in dry slopes, flats, pinyon/juniper woodland.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.