Juniper in K.S ?

[leapingbare]

There is a tree here that grows up on the ridges, and from how i hear yall talk about juniper i think that might be what it is.. could someone give me a good description of a juniper tree and also what to look for when cutting a stave from juniper. I've never messed with juniper. thanks guys.
                     Leapingbare.

[carpenter374]

juniper looks a lot like the cedar trees native to Oklahoma and southern kansas. cedar trees have somewhat rounded clumps of evergreen foliage and juniper spreads out in a vertical fan-like manner. juniper often has a large base trunk with multiple small trunks coming out of it. The bark is grey and reddish tan. thin and flaky.

[Slaughter]

I hope this helps.

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[Justin Snyder]

I would suggest you do an internet search for Eastern Red Cedar.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  If you can get a piece long enough and straight enough to build a bow, I would do it no matter what kind of juniper it is.  Justin

[Keenan]

 Leapingbear,
    I think some of the info given by Carpenter374 is not accurate, or maybe the juniper there is much different then here in Oregon. I live in an area that is almost all Juniper with many varieties and I know my Junipers.  The twings on juniper aer round not flat and the type of juniper depends alot on the diam.  of the tig. They produce a purple/ blueish berry and the bark is very fiberous, not flaky. If you peel some bark off it of a tree it will pull off in long stringy fibers.
 Also Juniper is mostly always single trunked, it will on accation be multiple trunk but that is not the norm. Hope that helps.  Keenan

[Sidewinder]

So Justin.... Juniper will make good bows? Cedar as well? We have both here in Kansas although I'm not sure about eastern red cedar. I have heard people mention it on here but is it that good of wood?  If so I may have to find some and see. I know at our camp site there is a row of cedar that I take dead branches from and burn in the fire...makes a nice smell. Seems the trunks would have tons of pins in them though. Still OK. Maybe I will take some photos next time I'm down there and have you take a look and you can tell me if you think it good.

Bornagain: I'll bet a lot of the trees in Kansas have different growth habits than in other parts of the country due to the incessant wind and the extremes of the weather.    Danny

[leapingbare]

Thanks for the info guys, So do i cut a stave from a limb or from the trunk? Do i make it with sap wood or heart wood , or both? I have made a ton of bows just never with juniper.

[Justin Snyder]

Danny, what most people call cedar is actually juniper.  ERC is not really a cedar, it is a juniper.  I haven't tried it yet, but many bows have been made with it. 
Keenan, our Utah juniper and One Seed juniper have bark like you describe, long and stingy.  Our Colorado junipers have the scaly bark, it don't strip off the tree worth a dang and never in the long strips. The tig does make a huge difference though.   Justin

[Sidewinder]

I looked it up and Juniperus Virginiaus or something like that is commonly called eastern red cedar but is as you said a juniper. We have tons of it here and if I am convinced that it makes good bow wood will defeintely have to harvest some and try it. Danny