Shrub or small tree to 6 m (18 ft) tall with multiple trunks to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. Scaleleaf evergreen with rounded dense crown to base. Twigs thin, rough, gray to brown. Leaves opposite in usually 4 rows on short crowded twigs, blunt, edges with very small teeth, dark green, about 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long. (Leaves on vigorously growing shoots sharp-pointed and up to 4.5 mm (0.2 in) long.) Cones berrylike, dark blue, glaucous, about 6 mm (0.25 in) in diameter, with a single seed.
Distribution: Native to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains from Colorado to Mexico.
Habitat: Rocky slopes between the high plains grassland and the pine forests.
NWI status: none
Comment: Juniperus is the ancient classical name for the old-world junipers; monosperma refers to the single seed in each berrylike cone.
Distribution in Oklahoma: 
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Last update: 9/14/99
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