Juniper

JUNIPER Juniperus communis

Description: Plant

Text Box: Aromatic, evergreen creeping shrub or shrubby tree; thin, shredding red-brown bark; "needles" or leaves pressed close to twig; producing small, aromatic berry-like cones, bluish-black, the size of a small pea.

Habitat:

Stony or gravelly places, valley bottoms.

Uses:

Athabascans use tea from the branches for colds, sore throats and tuberculosis. They also burn the needles as a fumigant, disinfectant, deodorizer and inhalant for colds. The berries also make good tea for a beverage or to help mild stomach upset, coughs or congestion. Juniper berries are an essential ingredient in flavoring gin and other cordials, and are also used as a spice for wild game and meat, and in sauerkraut.

Special Harvest or Processing Comments:

A dense patch of Juniper is necessary for economical harvesting. Cultivating would be best. Harvest with a berry rake. Dry berries whole. Because the fruits need two seasons to mature, they can be picked throughout the year. Juniper fruits are not actually berries, but three scales formed into a cone; Juniper is a coniferous shrub, therefore, the "berries" are easier to dry than real berries.

HOMEPAGE

SITEMAP

JUNIPER Juniperus communis