''Juniperus communis'', the common juniper, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of small tree or shrub in the cypress family
Cupressaceae. An evergreen
conifer, it has the largest geographical range of any
woody plant
A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants further survive winter or dry season above ground, as opposite to herbaceous plants that die back to the ground until sp ...
, with a
circumpolar distribution
A circumpolar distribution is any range of a taxon that occurs over a wide range of longitudes but only at high latitudes; such a range therefore extends all the way around either the North Pole or the South Pole. Taxa that are also found in isola ...
throughout the cool temperate
Northern Hemisphere.
Description
''Juniperus communis'' is very variable in form, ranging from —rarely —tall to a low, often
prostrate spreading
shrub in exposed locations. It has needle-like
leaves in whorls of three; the leaves are green, with a single white
stomatal band on the inner surface. It never attains the scale-like adult foliage of other members of the genus.
It is
dioecious, with male and female cones (both of which are
wind pollinated) on separate plants.
The male cones are yellow, long, and fall soon after shedding their
pollen in March–April. The fruit are
berry-like
cones
A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex.
A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines conn ...
known as
juniper berries
A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry, but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which gives it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especia ...
. They are initially green, ripening in 18 months to purple-black with a blue
waxy coating; they are spherical, diameter, and usually have three (occasionally six) fleshy fused scales, each scale with a single seed. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the cones, digesting the fleshy scales and passing the hard, unwinged seeds in their droppings.
[Rushforth, K. (1987). ''Conifers''. Helm .][Adams, R. P. (2004). ''Junipers of the World: The genus Juniperus''. Victoria: Trafford. .][Arboretum de Villardebelle]
''Juniperus''
/ref>
Chemistry
The juniper berry oil is composed largely of monoterpene hydrocarbons such as α-pinene
α-Pinene is an organic compound of the terpene class, one of two isomers of pinene. It is an alkene and it contains a reactive four-membered ring. It is found in the oils of many species of many coniferous trees, notably the pine. It is also ...
, myrcene
Myrcene, or β-myrcene, is a monoterpene. A colorless oil, it occurs widely in essential oils. It is produced mainly semi-synthetically from '' Myrcia'', from which it gets its name. It is an intermediate in the production of several fragrances. ...
, sabinene
Sabinene is a natural bicyclic monoterpene with the molecular formula C10H16. It is isolated from the essential oils of a variety of plants including Marjoram, holm oak (''Quercus ilex'') and Norway spruce (''Picea abies''). It has a strained ...
, limonene
Limonene is a colorless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic monoterpene, and is the major component in the oil of citrus fruit peels. The -isomer, occurring more commonly in nature as the fragrance of oranges, is a flavoring a ...
and β-pinene.
Subspecies
As to be expected from the wide range, ''J. communis'' is very variable, with several infraspecific taxa; delimitation between the taxa is still uncertain, with genetic data not matching morphological data well.[Flora Europaea]
''Juniperus communis''
/ref>[Adams, R. P., Pandey, R. N., Leverenz, J. W., Dignard, N., Hoegh, K., & Thorfinnsson, T. (2003). Pan-Arctic variation in Juniperus communis: Historical Biogeography based on DNA fingerprinting. ''Biochem. Syst. Ecol''. 31: 181–19]
pdf file
.[Adams, R. P., & Pandey, R. N. (2003). Analysis of Juniperus communis and its varieties based on DNA fingerprinting. ''Biochem. Syst. Ecol''. 31: 1271-1278]
pdf file
[Adams, R. P., & Nguyen, S. (2007). Post-Pleistocene geographic variation in Juniperus communis in North America. ''Phytologia'' 89 (1): 43–57]
pdf file
[Den Virtuella Floran: ''Juniperus communis'' distribution]
/ref>
*subsp. ''communis'' – Common juniper. Usually an erect shrub or small tree; leaves long; cones small, 5–8 mm, usually shorter than the leaves; found at low to moderate altitude in temperate climates
**subsp. ''communis'' var. ''communis'' – Europe, most of northern Asia
**subsp. ''communis'' var. ''depressa'' – North America, Sierra Nevada in California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
**subsp. ''communis'' var. ''hemisphaerica'' – Mediterranean mountains
**subsp. ''communis'' var. ''nipponica'' – Japan (status uncertain, often treated as ''J. rigida'' var. ''nipponica'')
*subsp. ''alpina'' – alpine juniper (syn. ''J. c.'' subsp. ''nana'', ''J. c.'' var. ''saxatilis'' Pallas, ''J. sibirica'' Burgsd.). Usually a prostrate ground-hugging shrub; leaves short, 3–8 mm; cones often larger, 7–12 mm, usually longer than the leaves; found in subarctic areas and high altitude alpine zones in temperate areas
**subsp. ''alpina'' var. ''alpina'' – Greenland, Europe and Asia
**subsp. ''alpina'' var. ''megistocarpa'' – Eastern Canada (doubtfully distinct from var. ''alpina'')
**subsp. ''alpina'' var. ''jackii'' – Western North America (doubtfully distinct from var. ''alpina'')
Some botanists treat subsp. ''alpina'' at the lower rank of variety, in which case the correct name is ''J. communis'' var. ''saxatilis'' Pallas,[ though the name ''J. communis'' var. ''montana'' is also occasionally cited; others, primarily in eastern Europe and Russia, sometimes treat it as a distinct species ''J. sibirica'' Burgsd. (syn. ''J. nana'' Willd., ''J. alpina'' S.F.Gray).
]
Distribution and habitat
The species has the largest geographical range of any woody plant
A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants further survive winter or dry season above ground, as opposite to herbaceous plants that die back to the ground until sp ...
, with a circumpolar distribution
A circumpolar distribution is any range of a taxon that occurs over a wide range of longitudes but only at high latitudes; such a range therefore extends all the way around either the North Pole or the South Pole. Taxa that are also found in isola ...
throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia. Relict populations can be found in the Atlas Mountains of Africa.
''J. communis'' is one of Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
's longest established plants.
Cultivation
''Juniperus communis'' is cultivated in the horticulture
Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...
trade and used as an evergreen ornamental shrub in garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...
s. The following cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s gained the Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...
's Award of Garden Merit in 1993:
* ''Juniperus communis'' 'Compressa'
* ''Juniperus communis'' 'Green Carpet' (prostrate shrub)
* ''Juniperus communis'' 'Hibernica' (Irish juniper)
* ''Juniperus communis'' 'Repanda' (prostrate shrub)
Uses
Crafts
It is too small to have any general lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
usage. In Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
, however, juniper wood
Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin ...
is used for making containers for storing small quantities of dairy products such as butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condimen ...
and cheese, and also for making wooden butter knives. It was also frequently used for trenails
A treenail, also trenail, trennel, or trunnel, is a wooden peg, pin, or dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together, especially in timber frames, covered bridges, wooden shipbuilding and boat building. It is driven into a hole bored through tw ...
in wooden shipbuilding by shipwrights
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...
for its tough properties.
In Estonia juniper wood is valued for its long lasting and pleasant aroma, very decorative natural structure of wood (growth rings) as well as good physical properties of wood due to slow growth rate of juniper and resulting dense and strong wood. Various decorative items (often eating utensils) are common in most Estonian handicraft shops and households.
According to the old tradition, on Easter
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the '' Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel ...
Monday Kashubian (Northern Poland) boys chase girls whipping their legs gently with juniper twigs. This is to bring good fortune in love to the chased girls.
Juniper wood, especially burl wood, is frequently used to make knife handles for French pocketknives such as the Laguiole.
Culinary
Its astringent
An astringent (sometimes called adstringent) is a chemical that shrinks or constricts body tissues. The word derives from the Latin ''adstringere'', which means "to bind fast". Calamine lotion, witch hazel, and yerba mansa, a Californian pla ...
blue-black seed cones, commonly known as juniper berries, are too bitter to eat raw and are usually sold dried and used to flavour meats, sauce
In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi-solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...
s, and stuffing
Stuffing, filling, or dressing is an edible mixture, often composed of herbs and a starch such as bread, used to fill a cavity in the preparation of another food item. Many foods may be stuffed, including poultry, seafood, and vegetables. A ...
s. They are generally crushed before use to release their flavour. Since juniper berries have a strong taste, they should be used sparingly. They are generally used to enhance meat with a strong flavour, such as game, including game birds, or tongue
The tongue is a muscular organ in the mouth of a typical tetrapod. It manipulates food for mastication and swallowing as part of the digestive process, and is the primary organ of taste. The tongue's upper surface (dorsum) is covered by taste ...
.
The cones are used to flavour certain beers and gin (the word "gin" derives from an Old French word meaning "juniper"). In Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, juniper is used as a key ingredient in making sahti
Sahti is a Finnish type of farmhouse ale made from malted and unmalted grains including barley and rye. Traditionally the beer is flavored with juniper in addition to, or instead of, hops; , a traditional Finnish ale. Also the Slovak alcoholic beverage Borovička
Borovička (; also known as Juniper brandy) is a Slovak alcoholic beverage flavoured with juniper berries. It is characterised by its clearhttp://www.alkoholy.wz.cz/alkoholy/B.htm (Slovak) or golden colour, and a taste similar to that of dry gi ...
and Dutch Jenever are flavoured with juniper berry or its extract.
Juniper is used in the traditional farmhouse ales of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. In Norway, the beer is brewed with juniper infusion instead of water, while in the other countries the juniper twigs are mainly used as filters to prevent the crushed malts from clogging the outlet of the lauter tun. The use of juniper in farmhouse brewing has been common in much of northern Europe, seemingly for a very long time.
Traditional medicine
Juniper berries have long been used as medicine by many cultures including the Navajo people. Western American tribes combined the berries of ''J. communis'' with ''Berberis
''Berberis'' (), commonly known as barberry, is a large genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs from tall, found throughout temperate and subtropical regions of the world (apart from Australia). Species diversity is greatest in South Amer ...
'' root bark in a herbal tea. Native Americans also used juniper berries as a female contraceptive.
Medicine
Juniper leaves were found to harbor fungi with potent anti-fungal compounds, including ibrexafungerp, which is now FDA approved to treat fungal infections.
References
Further reading
* Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
External links
USDA: ''Juniperus communis''
Jepson Manual Treatment - ''Juniperus communis''
''Juniperus communis'' - Photo Gallery
''Juniperus communis''
- information, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme
European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) is an international network that supports the conservation and sustainable use of forest genetic resources in Europe. The programme’s tasks include to coordinate and promote '' in situ'' an ...
(EUFORGEN)
{{Authority control
communis
Alpine flora
Flora of North America
Flora of Europe
Flora of temperate Asia
Flora of North Africa
Dioecious plants
Least concern plants
Edible plants
Plants used in traditional Native American medicine
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
Garden plants of Asia
Garden plants of Europe
Garden plants of North America
Flora of Greenland