Junipers are

conifer Conifers are a group of cone-bearing seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single extant class, Pinopsida. All ext ...

ous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family

Cupressaceae Cupressaceae is a conifer family, the cypress family, with worldwide distribution. The family includes 27–30 genera (17 monotypic), which include the junipers and redwoods, with about 130–140 species in total. They are monoecious, subdioeci ...

. Depending on the

taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the

Arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

, south to tropical

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, throughout parts of western,

central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known a ...

and southern Asia, east to eastern

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...

in the

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by thei ...

, and in the mountains of

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

. The highest-known juniper forest occurs at an altitude of in southeastern

and the northern

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...

, creating one of the highest

tree line The tree line is the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing. It is found at high elevations and high latitudes. Beyond the tree line, trees cannot tolerate the environmental conditions (usually cold temperatures, extreme snow ...

s on earth.

Description

Junipers vary in size and shape from tall

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

s, tall, to columnar or low-spreading

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from tree ...

s with long, trailing branches. They are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

with needle-like and/or scale-like

leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...

. They can be either

monoecious Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy. Monoecy is ...

dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproducti ...

. The female seed cones are very distinctive, with fleshy,

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...

-like coalescing scales which fuse together to form a berrylike structure ( galbulus), long, with one to 12 unwinged, hard-shelled

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiosper ...

s. In some species, these "berries" are red-brown or orange, but in most, they are blue; they are often aromatic and can be used as a

spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...

. The seed maturation time varies between species from 6 to 18 months after pollination. The male cones are similar to the other

, with 6 to 20 scales. In

hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most wide ...

s 7 through 10, junipers can bloom and release

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametop ...

several times each year. Different junipers bloom in autumn, while most pollinate from early winter until late spring. Jun chin close

Many junipers (e.g. '' J. chinensis'', '' J. virginiana'') have two types of leaves; seedlings and some twigs of older trees have needle-like leaves long, on mature plants the leaves are overlapping like (mostly) tiny scales, measuring . When juvenile foliage occurs on mature plants, it is most often found on shaded shoots, with adult foliage in full sunlight. Leaves on fast-growing 'whip' shoots are often intermediate between juvenile and adult. In some species (e.g. '' J. communis'', '' J. squamata''), all the foliage is of the juvenile needle-like type, with no scale leaves. In some of these (e.g. ''J. communis''), the needles are jointed at the base, while in others (e.g. ''J. squamata''), the needles merge smoothly with the stem. The needle leaves of junipers are hard and sharp, making the juvenile foliage very prickly to handle. This can be a valuable identification feature in seedlings, as the otherwise very similar juvenile foliage of cypresses (''

Cupressus ''Cupressus'' is one of several genera of evergreen conifers within the family Cupressaceae that have the common name cypress; for the others, see cypress. It is considered a polyphyletic group. Based on genetic and morphological analysis, the ...

Chamaecyparis ''Chamaecyparis'', common names cypress or false cypress (to distinguish it from related cypresses), is a genus of conifers in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to eastern Asia (Japan and Taiwan) and to the western and eastern margins of t ...

'') and other related genera are soft and not prickly. Junipers are

gymnosperm The gymnosperms ( lit. revealed seeds) are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, '' Ginkgo'', and gnetophytes, forming the clade Gymnospermae. The term ''gymnosperm'' comes from the composite word in el, γυμν ...

s, which means they have seeds, but no flowers or fruits. Depending on the species, the seeds they produce take 1–3 years to develop. The impermeable coat of the seed keeps water from getting in and protects the embryo when dispersed. It can also result in a long

dormancy Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be c ...

that is usually broken by physically damaging the seed coat. Dispersal can occur from being swallowed whole by frugivores and mammals. The resistance of the seed coat allows it to be passed down through the digestive system without being destroyed along the way. These seeds last a long time, as they can be dispersed long distances over the course of a few years.

Classification

Sections

The genus has been divided into sections in somewhat different ways. A system based on

molecular phylogenetic Molecular phylogenetics () is the branch of phylogeny that analyzes genetic, hereditary molecular differences, predominantly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. From these analyses, it is possible to ...

data from 2013 and earlier used three sections: * Section ''Caryocedrus'' – 1 species with large, blue, woody, 3-seeded cones; native to the Mediterranean * Section ''Juniperus'' – 14 species with blue or red seed cones, often with 3 seeds; 12 species native to the

eastern hemisphere The Eastern Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth which is east of the prime meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and west of the antimeridian (which crosses the Pacific Ocean and relatively little land from pole ...

, one endemic to North America, and one species, ''J. communis'', circumboreal * Section ''Sabina'' – about 60 species with variously coloured seed cones with 1 to 13 seeds; species about equally divided between the eastern and western hemispheres ''Juniperus'' sect. ''Sabina'' was further divided into clades.

Species

''Juniperus'' sect. ''Caryocedrus''

One species: *'' Juniperus drupacea'' – Syrian juniper

''Juniperus'' sect. ''Juniperus''

Needle-leaf junipers; the adult leaves are needle-like, in whorls of three, and jointed at the base. Species: *''Juniperus'' sect. ''Juniperus'' subsect. ''Juniperus'' – cones with 3 separate seeds; needles with one stomatal band **'' Juniperus communis'' – common juniper ***''Juniperus communis'' subsp. ''alpina'' – alpine juniper **'' Juniperus conferta'', syn. ''Juniperus rigida'' var. ''conferta'' (Parl.) Patschke – shore juniper **''

Juniperus rigida ''Juniperus rigida'', the temple juniper, is a species of juniper, native to northern China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and the far southeast of Russia (Sakhalin and Primorsky Krai), occurring at altitudes of . The species is also naturalized in the ...

'' – Temple juniper or needle juniper *''Juniperus'' sect. ''Juniperus'' subsect. ''Oxycedrus'' – cones with 3 separate seeds; needles with two stomatal bands **''

Juniperus brevifolia ''Juniperus brevifolia'', the Azores juniper, is a species of juniper, endemic to the Azores (on Corvo, Faial, Flores, Pico, Santa Maria, São Jorge, São Miguel, and Terceira), where it occurs at altitudes of , rarely up to . It is closely ...

'' – Azores juniper **'' Juniperus cedrus'' – Canary Islands juniper **''

Juniperus formosana ''Juniperus formosana'', the Formosan juniper, is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is a shrub or tree to tall, found in China (from Tibet in the west to Zhejiang in the east) and in Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Repu ...

'' – Chinese prickly juniper **'' Juniperus lutchuensis'', syn. ''Juniperus taxifolia'' var. ''lutchuensis'' (Koidz.) Satake – Ryukyu juniper **'' Juniperus oxycedrus'' – Western prickly juniper, cade juniper **'' Juniperus macrocarpa'' – large-berry juniper *''Juniperus'' sect. ''Juniperus'' subsect. ''Caryocedrus'' – cones with 3 seeds fused together; needles with two stomatal bands

''Juniperus'' sect. ''Sabina''

Scale-leaf junipers; adult leaves are mostly scale-like, similar to those of ''

'' species, in opposite pairs or whorls of three, and the juvenile needle-like leaves are not jointed at the base (including in the few that have only needle-like leaves; see below right). Provisionally, all the other junipers are included here, though they form a

paraphyletic In taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be paraphyletic ''with respect to'' the excluded subgroups. In ...

group.

= Old World species

*''

Juniperus chinensis ''Juniperus chinensis'', the Chinese juniper (圆柏, 桧) is a species of plant in the cypress family (botany), family Cupressaceae, native species, native to China, Myanmar, Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East. Growing tall, it is a very va ...

'' – Chinese juniper *''

Juniperus convallium ''Juniperus convallium'' is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae. It is a tree that is found only in the mountains of the Chinese provinces of Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alt ...

'' – Mekong juniper *'' Juniperus excelsa'' – Greek juniper *'' Juniperus foetidissima'' – stinking juniper *'' Juniperus indica'' – Himalayan black juniper *'' Juniperus komarovii'' – Komarov's juniper *'' Juniperus phoenicea'' – Phoenicean juniper *'' Juniperus pingii'' – Ping juniper *'' Juniperus procera'' – East African juniper *'' Juniperus procumbens'' – Ibuki juniper *'' Juniperus pseudosabina'' – Xinjiang juniper *''

Juniperus recurva ''Juniperus recurva'', commonly named the Himalayan juniper or drooping juniper, is a juniper native to the Himalaya, from northern Pakistan, through India, Nepal and Bhutan, to western Yunnan in southwestern China. It grows at altitudes of . D ...

'' – Himalayan juniper *''

Juniperus sabina ''Juniperus sabina'', the savin juniper or savin, is a species of juniper native to the mountains of central and southern Europe and western and central Asia, from Spain to eastern Siberia, typically growing at altitudes of .Farjon, A. (2005). ...

'' – Savin juniper *'' Juniperus saltuaria'' – Sichuan juniper *'' Juniperus semiglobosa'' – Russian juniper *'' Juniperus seravschanica'' – Pashtun juniper *''

Juniperus squamata ''Juniperus squamata'', the flaky juniper, or Himalayan juniper is a species of coniferous shrub in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to the Himalayas and China. It represents the provincial tree of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (unofficial). De ...

'' – flaky juniper *''

Juniperus thurifera ''Juniperus thurifera'' (Spanish juniper) is a species of juniper native to the mountains of the western Mediterranean region, from southern France (including Corsica) across eastern and central Spain to Morocco and locally in northern Algeria.A ...

'' – Spanish juniper *'' Juniperus tibetica'' – Tibetan juniper

= New World species

*'' Juniperus angosturana'' – Mexican one-seed juniper *'' Juniperus ashei'' – Ashe juniper *''

Juniperus arizonica ''Juniperus arizonica'', the Arizona juniper, is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae, native to the Sonoran Desert The Sonoran Desert ( es, Desierto de Sonora) is a desert in North America and ecoregion that covers the northwestern ...

'' – redberry juniper, roseberry juniper *'' Juniperus barbadensis'' – West Indies juniper *'' Juniperus bermudiana'' – Bermuda juniper *'' Juniperus blancoi'' – Blanco's juniper *'' Juniperus californica'' – California juniper *''

Juniperus coahuilensis ''Juniperus coahuilensis'', commonly known as redberry juniper, is a species of conifer in the family Cupressaceae. Description ''Juniperus coahuilensis'' grows as a large shrubby tree up to tall. It is usually multi-trunked.Juniperus comitana'' – Comitán juniper *''

Juniperus deppeana ''Juniperus deppeana'' (alligator juniper or checkerbark juniper) is a small to medium-sized tree reaching in height. It is native to central and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Description The tree reaches , rarely , in ...

'' – alligator juniper *'' Juniperus durangensis'' – Durango juniper *'' Juniperus flaccida'' – Mexican weeping juniper *'' Juniperus gamboana'' – Gamboa juniper *''

Juniperus grandis ''Juniperus grandis'', known as Sierra juniper, Sierra western juniper, and western juniper, is a tree or tall shrub that is endemic to the Western United States. It is sometimes considered a variety or subspecies of ''Juniperus occidentalis'', ...

'' – Sierra juniper *''

Juniperus horizontalis ''Juniperus horizontalis'', the creeping juniper or creeping cedar,Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z.; the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. ''Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada''. Macm ...

'' – creeping juniper *'' Juniperus jaliscana'' – Jalisco juniper *''

Juniperus maritima ''Juniperus maritima'' is a species of juniper known by the common name seaside juniper. It is native to the central Salish Sea region in southwestern British Columbia and northwestern Washington, where it is an endemic species and is abundant ...

'', syn. ''Juniperus scopulorum'' – seaside juniper *'' Juniperus monosperma'' – one-seed juniper *'' Juniperus monticola'' – mountain juniper *'' Juniperus occidentalis'' – western juniper *'' Juniperus osteosperma'' – Utah juniper *'' Juniperus pinchotii'' – Pinchot juniper *'' Juniperus saltillensis'' – Saltillo juniper *'' Juniperus scopulorum'' – Rocky Mountain juniper *'' Juniperus standleyi'' – Standley's juniper *'' Juniperus virginiana'' – eastern juniper, eastern redcedar **''Juniperus virginiana'' subsp. ''silicicola'' – Southern juniper *''

Juniperus zanonii Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arct ...

'' (proposed)

Additional species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

accepts the following additional species to those listed above: *'' Juniperus canariensis'' Guyot & Mathou *'' Juniperus coxii'' A.B.Jacks. *'' Juniperus deltoides'' R.P.Adams *'' Juniperus gracilior'' Pilg. *'' Juniperus mairei'' Lemée & H.Lév. *''

Juniperus morrisonicola Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arc ...

'' Hayata *'' Juniperus mucronata'' R.P.Adams *'' Juniperus navicularis'' Gand. *'' Juniperus poblana'' (Martínez) R.P.Adams *''

Juniperus polycarpos ''Juniperus polycarpos'', commonly known as Persian juniper, is species of juniper native to western Asia. Some authorities classify it as a subspecies or variety of ''Juniperus excelsa''."''Juniperus polycarpos''". ''The Plant List''. Accessed ...

'' K.Koch *'' Juniperus przewalskii'' Kom. *'' Juniperus saxicola'' Britton & P.Wilson *'' Juniperus taxifolia'' Hook. & Arn. *'' Juniperus tsukusiensis'' Masam. *''

Juniperus turbinata ''Juniperus turbinata'' is a woody plant in the family Cupressaceae. The species was previously treated as part of ''Juniperus phoenicea'', which is now regarded as restricted to Spain and France, whereas ''J. turbinata'' is found from Maca ...

'' Guss.

Ecology

Juniper plants thrive in a variety of environments. The junipers from Lahaul valley can be found in dry, rocky locations planted in stony soils. Grazing animals and the villagers are rapidly using up these plants. There are several important features of the leaves and wood of this plant that cause villagers to cut down these trees and make use of them. Additionally, the

western juniper ''Juniperus occidentalis'', known as the western juniper, is a shrub or tree native to the Western United States, growing in mountains at altitudes of and rarely down to . It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because it is a wides ...

plants, a particular species in the juniper genus, are found in

woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...

s where there are large, open spaces. Junipers are known to encompass open areas so that they have more exposure to rainfall. Decreases in fires and a lack of livestock grazing are the two major causes of western juniper takeover. This invasion of junipers is driving changes in the environment. For instance, the ecosystem for other species previously living in the environment and farm animals has been compromised. When junipers increase in population, there is a decrease in woody species like mountain big sagebrush and

aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the '' Populus'' genus. Species These species are called aspens: *'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (C ...

. Among the juniper trees themselves, there is increased competition, which results in a decrease in berry production. Herbaceous cover decreases, and junipers are often mistaken for weeds. As a result, several farmers have thinned the juniper trees or removed them completely. However, this reduction did not result in any significant difference on wildlife survival. Some small mammals found it advantageous to have thinner juniper trees, while cutting down the entire tree was not favorable. Some junipers are susceptible to '' Gymnosporangium'' rust disease and can be a serious problem for those people growing

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus '' Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancest ...

trees, an alternate host of the disease. Juniper is the exclusive food plant of the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e of some moths and butterflies, including '' Bucculatrix inusitata'', juniper carpet, ''

Chionodes electella ''Chionodes electella'' is a moth of the family Gelechiidae. It is found in almost all of Europe (except Ireland, Great Britain and the Balkan Peninsula The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area i ...

'', '' Chionodes viduella'', juniper pug, and pine beauty. Those of the

tortrix moth The Tortricidae are a family of moths, commonly known as tortrix moths or leafroller moths, in the order Lepidoptera. This large family has over 11,000 species described, and is the sole member of the superfamily Tortricoidea, although the genus ...

'' Cydia duplicana'' feed on the bark around injuries or

canker A plant canker is a small area of dead tissue, which grows slowly, often over years. Some cankers are of only minor consequence, but others are ultimately lethal and therefore can have major economic implications for agriculture and horticultur ...

Cultivation

Junipers are among the most popular conifers to be cultivated as ornamental subjects for parks and gardens. They have been bred over many years to produce a wide range of forms, in terms of colour, shape and size. They include some of the dwarfest (miniature) cultivars. They are also used for

bonsai Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of '' penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produc ...

. Some species found in cultivation include: *''

'' *'' Juniperus communis'' *''

'' *''Juniperus'' × ''pfitzeriana'' *'' Juniperus procumbens'' *''

'' *'' Juniperus scopulorum'' *''

Toxicity

In drier areas, juniper pollen easily becomes airborne and can be inhaled into the lungs. This pollen can also irritate the skin and cause contact dermatitis. Cross-allergenic reactions are common between juniper pollen and the pollen of all species of

cypress Cypress is a common name for various coniferous trees or shrubs of northern temperate regions that belong to the family Cupressaceae. The word ''cypress'' is derived from Old French ''cipres'', which was imported from Latin ''cypressus'', the l ...

. Monoecious juniper plants are highly allergenic, with an Ogren Plant Allergy Scale (OPALS) rating of 9 out of 10. Completely male juniper plants have an OPALS rating of 10, and release abundant amounts of pollen. Conversely, all-female juniper plants have an OPALS rating of 1, and are considered "allergy-fighting".

Uses

2008-06-18 GreatBritain Plymouth GinFactory

Ethnic and herbal use

Most species of juniper are flexible and have a high compression strength-to-weight ratio. This has made the wood a traditional choice for the construction of hunting bows among some of the Native American cultures in the

Great Basin The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds, those with no outlets, in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming, and Baja California. It is noted fo ...

region. These bow staves are typically backed with sinew to provide tension strength that the wood may lack. Ancient Mesopotamians believed that juniper oil could be used to ward off the

evil eye The Evil Eye ( grc, ὀφθαλμὸς βάσκανος; grc-koi, ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός; el, (κακό) μάτι; he, עַיִן הָרָע, ; Romanian: ''Deochi''; it, malocchio; es, mal de ojo; pt, mau-olhado, olho gordo; ar ...

. Some

Indigenous peoples of the Americas The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples. Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...

use juniper in

traditional medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...

; for instance the Dineh (Navajo), who use it for

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

. Juniper ash has also been historically consumed as a source of

calcium Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar ...

by the Navajo people. Juniper is traditionally used in Scottish folkloric and Gaelic Polytheist

saining Saining is a Scots word for blessing, protecting, or consecrating.Ross, David and Gavin D. Smith, ''Scots-English/English-Scots Dictionary (Hippocrene Practical Dictionary)'', 1998, p102. ''Sain'' is cognate with the Irish and Scottish Gaelic '' ...

rites, such as those performed at

Hogmanay Hogmanay ( , ) is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or i ...

(

New Year New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system ...

), where the smoke of burning juniper, accompanied by traditional prayers and other customary rites, is used to cleanse, bless, and protect the household and its inhabitants. Local people in Lahaul Valley present juniper leaves to their deities as a folk tradition. It is also useful as a folk remedy for pains and aches, as well as

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...

and

asthma Asthma is a long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and easily triggered bronchospasms. Symptoms include episodes of wheezing, co ...

. They are reported to collect large amounts of juniper leaves and wood for building and religious purposes.

General use

Juniper berries are a spice used in a wide variety of culinary dishes and are best known for the primary flavoring in gin (and responsible for gin's name, which is a shortening of the Dutch word for juniper, ''jenever''). A juniper-based spirit is made by fermenting juniper berries and water to create a "wine" that is then distilled. This is often sold as a juniper brandy in eastern Europe. Juniper berries are also used as the primary flavor in the liquor

Jenever Jenever (, ), also known as Hollands, genever, genièvre, peket, or sometimes as Dutch gin (archaic: Holland gin or Geneva gin), is the juniper-flavored traditional liquor in the Netherlands, Belgium and adjoining areas in northern France an ...

and sahti-styles of beers. Juniper berry sauce is often a popular flavoring choice for

quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia ...

veal Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, v ...

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit sp ...

venison Venison originally meant the meat of a game animal but now refers primarily to the meat of antlered ungulates such as elk or deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edibl ...

, and other game dishes. A tea can be made from the young twigs. Dense and rot resistant, the irregular trunks of junipers have been used as fence posts and firewood. Stands that produce enough wood for specialty uses generally go under the common name "cedar," including ''Juniperus virginiana'', the "red cedar" that is used widely in cedar drawers and closets. The lack of space or a hyphen between the words "red" and "cedar" is sometimes used to indicate that this species is not a true cedar (''

Cedrus ''Cedrus'', common English name cedar, is a genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae (subfamily Abietoideae). They are native to the mountains of the western Himalayas and the Mediterranean region, occurring at altitudes of 1,500 ...

''). Juniper in weave is a traditional cladding technique used in Northern Europe, e.g. at Havrå,

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

. Juniper berries are steam distilled to produce an

essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...

that may vary from colorless to yellow or pale green. Some of its chemical components are terpenoids and aromatic compounds, such as cadinene, a

sesquiterpene Sesquiterpenes are a class of terpenes that consist of three isoprene units and often have the molecular formula C15H24. Like monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes may be cyclic or contain rings, including many unique combinations. Biochemical modific ...

References

External links

Junipers of the world

Photos of cones and foliage of selected species * * {{Authority control Juniperus