Juniperus horizontalis

Yes! a few days ago, the male flowers released their pollen and yesterday i finally found, on a different plant (dioecious) a few female flowers with a last year berry ( which is not a true berry) and a two year old  ripe, blue, berry on the same branch.

April 29, 2017

Along the Takhini river, on the Kusawa road

and male flowers releasing pollen on April 25, 2017

same place

juniperus horizontalis

I think these are the male cones of the Juniperus horizontalis

April 19, 2013

mendenhall subd.hillside

juniperus communis

March 16, 2013
Up on the western sidehill of Kusawa lake.

Cody distinguishes  between two ssp of the Juniperus communis in the Yukon.
I cannot find that distinction elsewhere on the Internet . The Juniper communis an extremely varied species over the world.

I know believe what Cody distinquishes as the Juniperus communis ssp alpina, where he states the glaucous stomatal band is broader then the green margin.  ( which when you look it is) Elswhere on the Internet i can only find that what i am looking at is the Juniperus communis ssp depressa.

added  April 2023 a comment on inat from Bruce:We have supposedly 2 varieties, although they tend to blend here. See Adams 2019 Juniperus of Canada and the United States: Taxonomy, Key and Distribution which discusses var. kelleyi. IN variety kelleyi the white band on the needles is wider, the needles are curved and the fruit is larger than the needles. Most of what I have seen in Yukon is called variety depressa with long straight needles.

Juniperus horizontalis

sept.2012

on the bluffs along mendenhall river meadows

creeping juniper
The male flowers (top) on separate plants as the female flowers (bottom).
It apparently takes 18 months for the berries to ripen, and become a purple/blue berry.

the two bottom photos taken on May 11 2012 on the high banks of the Takhini river

Juniper

Juniperis horizontalis

Juniper berries

Juniperis communis ssp alpina  (2023 J. communis var. keeley or var. depressa)
Cupressaceae cypres family
Kusawa sept 16 2009

Ah, so Juniperus is a relative to the big Cypress tree, i learn something everyday :)

there are 3 different kinds of Juniper berry bushes.

I use the berries cooking wild meat, adding a few.
In the winter i will once in a while make a potent tea.