Juniperus recurva Buch.-ham. ex D.Don

Sacred juniper (en), Genévrier de l'Himalaya (fr)

Species

Gymnosperms > Cupressales > Cupressaceae > Juniperus

Characteristics

Shrubs or trees monoecious or rarely dioecious; bark light grayish brown or brown; crown conical or broadly pyramidal; branches ascending in apical part of plant and spreading toward base; branchlets pendulous, curved. Leaves in whorls of 3, loosely appressed, greenish white or slightly glaucous adaxially, all needlelike, nearly straight, slightly incurved, 3-10 × ca. 1 mm, concave adaxially, base decurrent, convex with longitudinal grooves at base abaxially, apex sharply pointed. Pollen cones axillary, yellow, ovoid-oblong or ellipsoid-ovoid; microsporophylls 10-16, decussate, each with 3 pollen sacs. Seed cones axillary, slightly glaucous when young, maturing purplish black and not glaucous, ovoid, 6-12 × 5-9 mm, 1-seeded. Seeds ovoid or conical-ovoid, 5-9 × 3-6 mm.
More
An evergreen tree. It is a narrow cone shape and grows 15 m high. The bark is red brown and peels in strips. The leaves are needle like and slender. It is 6 mm long. They occur in rings of three and have sharp points. They are grey-green above. There are 2 white bands underneath. The leaves are dry and papery to touch. Male and female flowers occur in the same plant. Males are yellow and female flowers green. The fruit are berry-like and blue-black. They are 8 mm long.
Life form
Growth form
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality dioecy
Pollination anemogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 3.75
Mature height (meter) 12.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 0.6
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

High montane to subalpine coniferous forest, and an understorey in Rhododendron thickets at higher elevations, in rocky areas or in alpine meadows strewn with boulders, usually on siliceous rock; at elevations from 2,500-4,500 metres
More
It is a temperate plant. It grows naturally in south west China and the Himalayas. It grows in high mountains. It suits hardiness zones 7-9. Arboretum Tasmania.
Light 6-8
Soil humidity 3-7
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity 3-9
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 7-9

Usage

The fruit yield an oil probably used in flavouring. The twigs are used in the distillation of spirits.
Uses environmental use essential oil material medicinal oil wood
Edible fruits seeds
Therapeutic use Antineoplastic agents (aerial part), Kidney diseases (fruit), Emetics (leaf), Diuretics (whole plant excluding root), Emetics (wood), Vomiting (wood)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) 30 - 180
Germination temperacture (C°) 7 - 10
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment soaking
Minimum temperature (C°) -15
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Leaf

Juniperus recurva leaf picture by dupzangrongkup (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Juniperus recurva world distribution map, present in China, India, and Myanmar

Conservation status

Juniperus recurva threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:262325-1
WFO ID wfo-0000354978
COL ID 6NFZN
BDTFX ID 101304
INPN ID 610897
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Juniperus canescens Juniperus lorulasi Juniperus procumbens Juniperus incurva Juniperus repanda Juniperus butanensis Sabina recurva Sabinella recurva Juniperus uvifera Juniperus squamosa Juniperus nepalensis Juniperus lambertiana Juniperus uncinata Juniperus recurva var. tenuifolia Juniperus recurva var. uncinata Juniperus religiosa Juniperus recurva var. recurva Juniperus recurva