Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Douglas Fir
JUNIPER
Two types of juniper—
Rocky Mountain
and
Utah
—grow in the parks,
most often in canyons and on rocky slopes. Utah juniper are usually seen at the
lower and drier elevations—below the rim at Bryce Canyon—while Rocky Moun-
tain juniper will grow throughout the parks up to 8,500 feet of elevation. The
Utah juniper has a short trunk and low spreading branches, with closely spaced
yellow-green needles; the Rocky Mountain juniper is often taller, sometimes reach-
ing 50 feet, with slender branches and short, gray-green needles. Both have berry-
like cones that are a popular food for birds and other wildlife. The Utah juniper's
“berries” are a dull blue, while the “berries” of the Rocky Mountain juniper are
bright blue with a white coating.
