There are a lot of evergreens near my home in Maryland, so this Juniperus ashei reminds me of home. Interestingly, it is a dioecious species, with separate male and female plants. This evergreen is native to northeastern Mexico and the south-central United States. Large numbers of these plants live in central Texas, right where we are now in Austin! It grows up to 33 ft tall, and provides year-round shade for wildlife and livestock. I found this plant at the Wild Basin Preserve, home to many animals that can take advantage of this plant for its coverage. Ashe Junipers do not need a lot of water because it is a drought plant, so it can handle the Texas heat.
