Juniperus procera

Botanical Description

Juniperus procera is an evergreen tree with a crown that is pyramidal in young trees but becoming wide-spreading and flat-topped in older ones with branches that are spreading or ascending; it usually grows up to 40 metres tall, occasionally to 50 metres. The straight, tapered bole can be branchless for up to 20 metres and up to 200cm, occasionally 300cm, in diameter; it is often heavily fluted, the outer bark fissured and exfoliating in long narrow papery strips[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 303 Title World Agroforesty Centre Publication Author Website http://www.worldagroforestry.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent online database of a huge range of trees giving very good information on each plant - its uses, ecology, identity, propagation, pests etc. ]. The tree is extensively exploited from the wild for its wood, and is also the source of an essential oil and various traditional medicines. The wood used to be exported to Europe and North America for the manufacture of pencils and penholders, while small quantities were used for wardrobe linings. The essential oil is still exported[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The tree is now grown in plantations, both in its native range and elsewhere, including South Africa, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, India and Australia[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. It is a useful shade tree, and is frequently planted as an ornamental and to provide windbreaks[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Although frequently logged, the plant is still common or abundant in many areas of its extensive range, though there are concerns about localized declines within its range. These declines need to be monitored since, in combination, they could amount to a more significant overall population reduction and may warrant a change to a more threatened category in the future. At present the plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].