Alligator Juniper
Juniperus deppeana

Family: Cupressaceae

What it is like

Form: Oval, Weeping.

Juniperus deppeana is an evergreen Tree growing to 18 m (59ft 1in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in leaf all year, in flower from February to March, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 18

Where it is found

Open oak or pine woodlands on dry, arid mountain slopes, 1200 - 1800 metres.

South-western N. America - Texas, Arizona and Mexico.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Fruit - raw or cooked. A dry and mealy texture but with a sweet and palatable taste. The fruit can also be dried, ground into a meal and prepared as a mush or cakes. The fruit has a sweetish palatable pulp and is about 15mm in diameter. The cones take 2 years to mature.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 0

Wood - light, soft, not strong, brittle, close grained. Although easily worked, it is of limited value as lumber and is used mainly for fence posts and fuel.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Screen, Specimen. Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil. Requires a hot dry position in full sun. Does well on lime. A slow-growing but long-lived tree, it grows better in dry areas with hot summers. Western Britain is generally to cool and wet for this species to thrive. Trees often produce vigorous shoots from the base of the trunk, or from the stumps of felled trees. The seed takes two summers to ripen. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Special Features: North American native, Fragrant foliage, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: The seed requires a period of cold 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. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 7-9

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

J. pachyphlaea. J. deppeana pachyphlaea. (Torr.)Martinez.