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Prickly juniper

Juniperus oxycedrus · Cupressaceae · all Juniperus records

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1. Fire evidence and conditions

Fire evidence: Highly flammable — location does not change the cited classification.
Fire-performance conditions: 1 condition stated in cited fire-evidence rows.
Fire ecology context: No section-reviewed fire-ecology context is normalized.
Placement evidence: 2 source placement records; source schemes remain separate.
Evidence regions: Catalonia, Spain; Global; Tlemcen Mountains, western Algeria; Tlemcen, western Algeria
Maintenance: No sourced horticultural maintenance assertion is normalized; fire-test conditions do not supply maintenance advice.

2. Why this plant is relevant here

State distribution: No state distribution is normalized.
Native range: No current cited or legacy state native range is normalized.
Introduced / established: No introduced or established row is normalized; that does not prove native status.
USDA hardiness: No hardiness value is normalized.

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Legal-list status: Set a location for an exact legal-list result; source silence is not clearance.
Seed-list status: Set a location to compare the separate state noxious-weed seed layer.
Reported invasive here: No ecological invasive report is normalized; that does not prove noninvasiveness.
Broader regional context: Aggregate AK, HI, and L48 evidence is shown only as regional context, never as an exact-state finding.
Federal context: Federal designations remain separate from state legal-list results.

How to read this page

The status above is computed from the cited rows below: independent recommendations can support a fire-resistant result, an avoid row can produce keep-away, and disagreement stays visible as conflict. Placement notes preserve each source’s own scheme rather than translating unlike rules into one scale. This is evidence about a plant, not permission to plant it in every part of the defensible space; Zone 0 remains noncombustible.

Prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) — Photo: (c) Santiago Martín-Bravo, some rights reserved (CC BY) (CC BY), via iNaturalist. Species-typical, not necessarily this cultivar.

Form: shrub
Region: Algeria; Croatia; Spain
Rated in: Catalonia, Spain; Global; Tlemcen Mountains, western Algeria; Tlemcen, western Algeria
Family: Cupressaceae
Evidence: 41 cited sources

Conditions in the fire evidence

These describe tested or rated plant material. They are not horticultural maintenance instructions.

green: The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen (Western Algeria) evidence row

Where its sources say to plant it

Placement rules below use each source's own distances or named zones, tied to its rating. They are not interchangeable with the directory's current Zone 0 guidance.

Guía de pirojardinería: not suitable inside or outside the 25-metre maximum-risk zone [girona-2020-iuf-25m-suitability] (with its avoid rating)
The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the a…: Table 1 [henaoui-2013-fresh-material-flammability] (with its avoid rating)

The evidence

Grouped by what each source concluded. Primary evidence rated the plant itself (a lab, field program, or original curation); corroboration compiled or republished another source's rating and resolves to its root lineage.

Avoids (3)

Flammability of some companion species in cork oak forests — Annals of Forest Science (Dehane, Hernando, Guijarro & Madrigal) · 2017 · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: inia-madrid-tree

“Author-named highly flammable group”

The abstract identifies this species as highly flammable from its combustibility and sustainability across fresh and dried-fuel analysis.
Guía de pirojardinería — guía práctica de jardinería adaptada a la prevención de incendios forestales — Diputació de Girona and Bombers de la Generalitat de Catalunya · 2020 Spanish edition · original source Primary evidence Expert-curated lineage: elvira-hernando-1989 + cooperem-tree

“MUY DESACONSEJADA”

Juniperus oxycedrus is rated “MUY DESACONSEJADA” by the guide's qualitative IUF garden-suitability method. The method assumes species-specific care and integrates fire evidence with fuel structure, maintenance, origin, invasiveness, and expert fire-service experience.
The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen (Western Algeria) — European Scientific Journal · European Scientific Journal 9(29) · original source Primary evidence Lab-tested lineage: valette-1990

“High flammability — note 3” · score 3 (henaoui-2013-flammability-note-1-3) · condition: green · original source

Table 1 classifies Juniperus oxycedrus at flammability note 3; the paper prints its stratum as Tree.

Listed without a rating (38)

FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database — Dryad / Global Ecology and Biogeography · Dryad version 9 · original source Corroboration Trait database lineage: meta-aggregator

38 cited rows from this source; its identity, lineage and tier are stated once.
- “time to flaming (s): 16.3” · score 16.3 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 2292; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3308.01” · score 3308.01 (FLAMITS — calorific value (kcal/kg))
  
  FLAMITS record 2302; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 241.41” · score 241.41 (FLAMITS — maximum energy flux (kW/m²))
  
  FLAMITS record 2312; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “burnt biomass (%): 92.7” · score 92.7 (FLAMITS — burnt biomass (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 2322; Consumability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “time to flaming (s): 51” · score 51 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 2332; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 435.91” · score 435.91 (FLAMITS — calorific value (kcal/kg))
  
  FLAMITS record 2342; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 196.91” · score 196.91 (FLAMITS — maximum energy flux (kW/m²))
  
  FLAMITS record 2352; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “burnt biomass (%): 97.56” · score 97.56 (FLAMITS — burnt biomass (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 2362; Consumability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Dehane2017-1; sampling september. Primary study Dehane2017: Dehane, B., Hernando, C., Guijarro, M., & Madrigal, J. (2017). Flammability of some companion species in cork oak (Quercus suber L.) forests. Annals of Forest Science, 74, 60.
- “flame height (cm): 21.22” · score 21.22 (FLAMITS — flame height (cm))
  
  FLAMITS record 4886; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device infrared burner; site Henaoui2013-1; sampling spring. Primary study Henaoui2013: Henaoui, S. E. -A., Bouazza, M., & Amara, M. (2013). The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen (Western Algeria). European Scientific Journal, 9, 84-103.
- “time to flaming (s): 43.43” · score 43.43 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 4924; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device infrared burner; site Henaoui2013-1; sampling spring. Primary study Henaoui2013: Henaoui, S. E. -A., Bouazza, M., & Amara, M. (2013). The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen (Western Algeria). European Scientific Journal, 9, 84-103.
- “burning duration (s): 102.3” · score 102.3 (FLAMITS — burning duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 4962; Sustainability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device infrared burner; site Henaoui2013-1; sampling spring. Primary study Henaoui2013: Henaoui, S. E. -A., Bouazza, M., & Amara, M. (2013). The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen (Western Algeria). European Scientific Journal, 9, 84-103.
- “flaming duration (s): 57” · score 57 (FLAMITS — flaming duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7329; Sustainability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Madrigal2011a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Madrigal2011a: Madrigal, J., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., & Marino, E. (2011a). Effective Heat of Combustion for Flaming Combustion of Mediterranean Forest Fuels. Fire Technology, 47, 461-474.
- “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 367” · score 367 (FLAMITS — maximum energy flux (kW/m²))
  
  FLAMITS record 7349; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Madrigal2011a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Madrigal2011a: Madrigal, J., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., & Marino, E. (2011a). Effective Heat of Combustion for Flaming Combustion of Mediterranean Forest Fuels. Fire Technology, 47, 461-474.
- “time to flaming (s): 4” · score 4 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7369; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Madrigal2011a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Madrigal2011a: Madrigal, J., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., & Marino, E. (2011a). Effective Heat of Combustion for Flaming Combustion of Mediterranean Forest Fuels. Fire Technology, 47, 461-474.
- “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.06” · score 0.06 (FLAMITS — mass loss rate (g/s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7389; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Madrigal2011a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Madrigal2011a: Madrigal, J., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., & Marino, E. (2011a). Effective Heat of Combustion for Flaming Combustion of Mediterranean Forest Fuels. Fire Technology, 47, 461-474.
- “total heat release (MJ/m²): 19.6” · score 19.6 (FLAMITS — total heat release (MJ/m²))
  
  FLAMITS record 7409; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Madrigal2011a-1; sampling ND. Primary study Madrigal2011a: Madrigal, J., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., & Marino, E. (2011a). Effective Heat of Combustion for Flaming Combustion of Mediterranean Forest Fuels. Fire Technology, 47, 461-474.
- “time to flaming (s): 25” · score 25 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7714; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling may. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “time to flaming (s): 40” · score 40 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7715; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling july. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “time to flaming (s): 24” · score 24 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7716; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling august. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “time to flaming (s): 14” · score 14 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7717; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling september. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “time to flaming (s): 23” · score 23 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7718; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling october. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “time to flaming (s): 25” · score 25 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7719; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling november. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “time to flaming (s): 28” · score 28 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 7720; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling december. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4954” · score 4954 (FLAMITS — calorific value (kcal/kg))
  
  FLAMITS record 7901; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling ND. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “flammability value: 2” · score 2 (FLAMITS — flammability value)
  
  FLAMITS record 7949; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling ND. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 100” · score 100 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8113; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling may. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 67” · score 67 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8114; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling july. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 100” · score 100 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8115; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling august. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 100” · score 100 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8116; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling september. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 100” · score 100 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8117; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling october. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 100” · score 100 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8118; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling november. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “ignition frequency (%): 89” · score 89 (FLAMITS — ignition frequency (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 8119; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying yes; device epiradiator; site Martin1989-1; sampling december. Primary study Martin1989: Martín, E., & Miguel, L. (1989). Inflamabilidad y energía de las especies de sotobosque
- “flaming duration (s): 10.81” · score 10.81 (FLAMITS — flaming duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 11637; Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Rosavec2013-1; sampling june. Primary study Rosavec2013: Rosavec, R., ikic, Z., panjol, ., & Barcic, D. (2013). Utjecaj meteorolokih ?imbenika na zapaljivost nekih sredozemnih vrsta. umarski list, 137, 583-590.
- “flaming duration (s): 10.9” · score 10.9 (FLAMITS — flaming duration (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 11638; Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying no; device epiradiator; site Rosavec2013-2; sampling june. Primary study Rosavec2013: Rosavec, R., ikic, Z., panjol, ., & Barcic, D. (2013). Utjecaj meteorolokih ?imbenika na zapaljivost nekih sredozemnih vrsta. umarski list, 137, 583-590.
- “time to flaming (s): 48.85” · score 48.85 (FLAMITS — time to flaming (s))
  
  FLAMITS record 16761; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Benhalima2019-1; sampling september 2017. Primary study Benhalima2019: Benhalima, Y., & Dehane, B. (2019). Flammability of certain conifers and oak species of north west Algeria. Proceedings of the X International Scientific Agricultural Symposium Agrosym 2019. Jahorina.
- “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 190.72” · score 190.72 (FLAMITS — maximum energy flux (kW/m²))
  
  FLAMITS record 16762; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Benhalima2019-1; sampling september 2017. Primary study Benhalima2019: Benhalima, Y., & Dehane, B. (2019). Flammability of certain conifers and oak species of north west Algeria. Proceedings of the X International Scientific Agricultural Symposium Agrosym 2019. Jahorina.
- “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2441.005067” · score 2441.005067 (FLAMITS — calorific value (kcal/kg))
  
  FLAMITS record 16763; Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Benhalima2019-1; sampling september 2017. Primary study Benhalima2019: Benhalima, Y., & Dehane, B. (2019). Flammability of certain conifers and oak species of north west Algeria. Proceedings of the X International Scientific Agricultural Symposium Agrosym 2019. Jahorina.
- “burnt biomass (%): 97.51” · score 97.51 (FLAMITS — burnt biomass (%))
  
  FLAMITS record 16764; Consumability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Benhalima2019-1; sampling september 2017. Primary study Benhalima2019: Benhalima, Y., & Dehane, B. (2019). Flammability of certain conifers and oak species of north west Algeria. Proceedings of the X International Scientific Agricultural Symposium Agrosym 2019. Jahorina.

Fire-resistant shrubs instead

Mastic
Pistacia lentiscus

Cistus salviifolius
Cistus salvaefolius

Creeping Myoporum
Myoporum parvifolium

Kinnikinnick
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Kurrajong
Brachychiton populneus

Calicotome spinosa
Calycotoma spinosa

Fire-resistant shrubs listed above

Last verified 2026-08-24. JSON (CC BY 4.0)

Profiles: GBIF ·

Juniperus oxycedrus (Prickly juniper). FireApproved. https://fireapproved.com/plants/juniperus-oxycedrus/. Last verified 2026-08-24.