Old Juniper
One of my favorite species of trees, Juniperus osteosperma, common name, Utah Juniper. Larger ones like this one in the photo can be upwards of 700 years old. The berries of Juniper are used to flavor gin. The Native Americans would grind the shaggy bark to make a kind of baby powder. Miners used the wood to make charcoal to smelt the ore for gold and silver. Ranchers used the wood to make fence poles. I like the trees because of their unique character and because they usually are found at 5000 feet elevation and above it means that one is finally rising up above the desert heat!
Old Juniper
One of my favorite species of trees, Juniperus osteosperma, common name, Utah Juniper. Larger ones like this one in the photo can be upwards of 700 years old. The berries of Juniper are used to flavor gin. The Native Americans would grind the shaggy bark to make a kind of baby powder. Miners used the wood to make charcoal to smelt the ore for gold and silver. Ranchers used the wood to make fence poles. I like the trees because of their unique character and because they usually are found at 5000 feet elevation and above it means that one is finally rising up above the desert heat!