Juniperus californica

Chinese juniper is in the cypress or Cupressaceae family and is native to the southwestern US (mainly California) and the Baja Peninsula in Mexico. It is a coniferous, evergreen shrub or small tree growing in the habitats of pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla) and Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia). It can reach up to 8 m in height.

It is closely related to Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma).

• The shoots are fairly thick compared to most junipers, 1.5–2 mm in diameter.
• Needles have 2 forms: Mature foliage is bluish gray, scale like, 1–5 mm in length, 1–1.5 mm across; juvenile leaves are needle like, 5–10 mm long.
• Species is mostly dioecious; cones are berry like, 7–13 mm in diameter, blue brown with a whitish waxy bloom, turning reddish brown, and contain a single seed (rarely two or three); male cones are 2–4 mm long, and shed their pollen in early spring.
• Bark is ashy gray, typically thin, and appears to be "shredded".