Juniperus communis

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Juniperus communis
Jeneverbes.jpg
Juniperus communis subsp. communis
in the Netherlands
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Cupressales
Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus
Section: Juniperus sect. Juniperus
Subsection: Juniperus subsect. Juniperus
Species:
J. communis
Binomial name
Juniperus communis
L.
Juniperus communis range map.png
Natural range worldwide
Juniperus communis North American range map 1.png
Natural range in North America

Juniperus communis, the common juniper, is a species of small tree or shrub in the cypress family Cupressaceae. An evergreen conifer, it has the largest geographical range of any woody plant, with a circumpolar distribution throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere.

Contents

Description

Juniperus communis is highly variable in form, ranging from 10 metres (33 feet)—rarely 16 m (52 ft)—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. [3] : 55  It is dioecious, with male and female cones on separate plants so requiring wind pollination to transfer pollen from male to female cones. Male trees or shrubs naturally live longer than female trees or shrubs; a male tree or shrub can live more than 2000 years. [4] [5] [6] [7]

The male cones are yellow, 2–3 millimetres (3⁄32–1⁄8 in) long, and fall soon after shedding their pollen in March–April. The fruit are berry-like cones known as juniper berries. They are initially green, ripening in 18 months to purple-black with a blue waxy coating; they are spherical, 4–12 mm (5⁄32–15⁄32 in) 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. [8] [9] [10]

Chemistry

The juniper berry oil is composed largely of monoterpene hydrocarbons such as α-pinene, myrcene, sabinene, limonene and β-pinene. [11]

Subspecies

Prostrate specimens of J. communis subsp. alpina, in Vitosha, Bulgaria JuniperusCommunisAlpina.jpg
Prostrate specimens of J. communis subsp. alpina, in Vitosha, Bulgaria

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. [8] [9] [10] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Some botanists treat subsp. alpina at the lower rank of variety, in which case the correct name is J. communis var. saxatilis Pallas, [9] 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). [16]

Distribution and habitat

The species has the largest geographical range of any woody plant, with a circumpolar distribution throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia. [17] Relict populations can be found in the Atlas Mountains of Africa. [17]

J. communis is one of Ireland's longest established plants. [18]

Cultivation

Teardrop-shaped J. communis in Hvaler, Norway Einebusk Juniperus communis.jpg
Teardrop-shaped J. communis in Hvaler, Norway

Juniperus communis is cultivated in the horticulture trade and used as an evergreen ornamental shrub in gardens. The following cultivars gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit in 1993: [19]

Other cultivars in use include:

Uses

Crafts

J. communis wood pieces, with a U.S. penny for scale, showing the narrow growth rings of the species Juniper wood pieces and 1 cent coin.jpg
J. communis wood pieces, with a U.S. penny for scale, showing the narrow growth rings of the species

It is too small to have any general lumber usage. In Scandinavia, however, juniper wood is used for making containers for storing small quantities of dairy products such as butter and cheese, and also for making wooden butter knives. It was also frequently used for trenails in wooden shipbuilding by shipwrights 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 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 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, sauces, and stuffings. 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 cones are used to flavour certain beers and gin (the word "gin" derives from an Old French word meaning "juniper"). [26] In Finland, juniper is used as a key ingredient in making sahti, a traditional Finnish ale. Also the Slovak alcoholic beverage Borovička and Dutch Jenever are flavoured with juniper berry or its extract.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the use of juniper in brewing may date back to at least the early medieval period. Juniper remains have been found at migration period and early Merovingian sites in southwestern Germany, indicating it may have been used to flavor beverages like beer as early as the 3rd to 6th centuries AD. [27]

Juniper is used in the traditional farmhouse ales of Norway, [28] Sweden, [29] Finland, [30] 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. [31]

Traditional medicine

Juniper berries have long been used as medicine by many cultures including the Navajo people. [32] Western American tribes combined the berries of J. communis with Berberis root bark in a herbal tea. Native Americans also used juniper berries as a female contraceptive. [33]

Medicine

Juniper leaves were found to harbor fungi with potent anti-fungal compounds, [34] including ibrexafungerp, which is now FDA approved to treat fungal infections.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juniper</span> Genus of plants

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 as far south as tropical Africa, including the Arctic, parts of Asia, and Central America. The highest-known juniper forest occurs at an altitude of 4,900 metres (16,100 ft) in southeastern Tibet and the northern Himalayas, creating one of the highest tree lines on earth.

<i>Juniperus chinensis</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus chinensis, the Chinese juniper, is a species of plant in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to China, Myanmar, Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East. Growing 1–20 metres tall, it is a very variable coniferous evergreen tree or shrub.

<i>Juniperus oxycedrus</i> Species of plant

Juniperus oxycedrus, vernacularly called Cade, cade juniper, prickly juniper, prickly cedar, or sharp cedar, is a species of juniper, native across the Mediterranean region, growing on a variety of rocky sites from sea level. The specific epithet oxycedrus means "sharp cedar" and this species may have been the original cedar or cedrus of the ancient Greeks.

<i>Juniperus excelsa</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus excelsa, commonly called the Greek juniper, is a juniper found throughout the eastern Mediterranean, from northeastern Greece and southern Bulgaria across Turkey to Syria and Lebanon, Jordan, the Caucasus mountains, and southern coast of Crimea.

<i>Juniperus californica</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus californica, the California juniper, is a species of juniper native to southwestern North America.

<i>Juniperus occidentalis</i> Species of tree in North America

Juniperus occidentalis, known as the western juniper, is a shrub or tree native to the Western United States, growing in mountains at altitudes of 800–3,000 meters (2,600–9,800 ft) and rarely down to 100 m (330 ft). It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because it is a widespread species with an increasing population.

<i>Juniperus sabina</i> Species of Juniper

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 1,000–3,300 metres.

<i>Juniperus thurifera</i> Species of conifer

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

<i>Juniperus recurva</i> Species of juniper

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 3,000–4,000 metres.

<i>Juniperus procumbens</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus procumbens is a species of shrub in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to Japan. This low-growing evergreen conifer is closely related to the Chinese juniper, Juniperus chinensis, and is sometimes treated as a variety of it, as J. chinensis var. procumbens.

<i>Juniperus squamata</i> Species of Juniper

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.

<i>Juniperus cedrus</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus cedrus, the Canary Islands juniper, is a species of juniper, native to the western Canary Islands and Madeira, where it occurs at altitudes of 500–2400 m. It is closely related to Juniperus oxycedrus of the Mediterranean region and Juniperus brevifolia of the Azores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juniper berry</span> Spice, herbal drug

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 called a galbulus, which gives it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice, particularly in European cuisine, and also give gin its distinctive flavour. Juniper berries are among the only spices derived from conifers, along with spruce buds.

<i>Juniperus deppeana</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus deppeana is a small to medium-sized tree reaching 10–15 metres in height. It is native to central and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.

<i>Juniperus phoenicea</i> Species of conifer in the cypress family Cupressaceae

Juniperus phoenicea, the Phoenicean juniper or Arâr, is a juniper found throughout the Mediterranean region.

<i>Juniperus monosperma</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus monosperma is a species of juniper native to western North America, in the United States in Arizona, New Mexico, southern Colorado, western Oklahoma (Panhandle), and western Texas, and in Mexico in the extreme north of Chihuahua. It grows at 970–2300 m altitude.

<i>Juniperus semiglobosa</i> Species of juniper

Juniperus semiglobosa, the Himalayan pencil juniper, is a species of juniper native to the mountains of Central Asia, in northeastern Afghanistan, westernmost China (Xinjiang), northern Pakistan, southeastern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, western Nepal, northern India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It grows at altitudes of 1,550–4,420 metres.

<i>Juniperus tibetica</i> Species of conifer

Juniperus tibetica, the Tibetan juniper, is a species of juniper, native to western China in southern Gansu, southeastern Qinghai, Sichuan, and Tibet Autonomous Region, where it grows at high to very high altitudes of 2,600–4,900 metres. This species has the highest known elevation treeline in the northern hemisphere.

<i>Sambucus racemosa</i> Species of plant

Sambucus racemosa is a species of elderberry known by the common names red elderberry and red-berried elder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prostrate shrub</span> Shrub with a trailing habit

A prostrate shrub is a woody plant, most of the branches of which lie upon or just above the ground, rather than being held erect as are the branches of most trees and shrubs.

References

  1. ↑ Farjon, A. (2013). "Juniperus communis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T42229A2963096. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T42229A2963096.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ↑ NatureServe (2024). "Juniperus communis". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  3. ↑ Stace, C. A. (2010). New Flora of the British Isles (Third ed.). Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   9780521707725.
  4. ↑ Lena K. Ward,The Conservation of Juniper: Longevity and Old Age,Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Dec., 1982), pp. 917-928
  5. ↑ Lloyd, D.G. and C.J. Webb. 1977. Secondary sex characters in plants. The Botanical Review, 43: 177-216
  6. ↑ Forsberg, G.E. 1888. Ueber die Geschlechterverteilung bei Juniperus communis. Bot. Zentralbl. 33, 91-92.
  7. ↑ Molisch H, ed. (1929).Die Lebensdauer der Pflanzen.Verlag Gustav Fischer, Jena.
  8. 1 2 Rushforth, K. (1987). Conifers. Helm ISBN   0-7470-2801-X.
  9. 1 2 3 Adams, R. P. (2004). Junipers of the World: The genus Juniperus. Victoria: Trafford. ISBN   1-4120-4250-X.
  10. 1 2 Arboretum de Villardebelle: Juniperus
  11. ↑ Höferl, Martina; Stoilova, Ivanka; Schmidt, Erich; Wanner, Jürgen; Jirovetz, Leopold; Trifonova, Dora; Krastev, Lutsian; Krastanov, Albert (2014). "Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis L.) Essential Oil. Action of the Essential Oil on the Antioxidant Protection of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Model Organism". Antioxidants. 3 (1): 81–98. doi: 10.3390/antiox3010081 . PMC   4665443 . PMID   26784665.
  12. ↑ Flora Europaea: Juniperus communis
  13. ↑ 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: 181–192 pdf file Archived 17 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine .
  14. ↑ 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 Archived 17 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ↑ Adams, R. P., & Nguyen, S. (2007). Post-Pleistocene geographic variation in Juniperus communis in North America. Phytologia 89 (1): 43–57. pdf file Archived 17 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Association Ecosystem (Russia): Juniperus sibirica
  17. 1 2 Bo Mossberg; Lennart Stenberg (2020). Nordens flora (in Danish) (Nye, udvidede og omarbejdede udgave ed.). Copenhagen: Gyldendal. ISBN   978-87-02-28916-9. OCLC   1158895781.
  18. ↑ Preston, S. J.; Wilson, C.; Jennings, S.; Provan, J.; McDonald, R. A. (2007). "The status of Juniperus communis L. in Northern Ireland in 2005". Ir. Nat. J. 28: 372–378.
  19. ↑ "AGM ornamentals". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  20. ↑ "Juniperus communis Compressa". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  21. ↑ "Juniperus communis Green Carpet". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  22. ↑ "Juniperus communis Hibernica". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  23. ↑ "Juniperus communis Repanda". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  24. ↑ "Juniperus communis Repanda". Heberg: Sveplant AB. 2024.
  25. ↑ "Juniperus communis Vemboö". Alnarp: E-planta ekonomisk förening. 2024.
  26. ↑ Shorter Oxford English dictionary (6th ed.). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. 2007. p. 3804. ISBN   978-0199206872.
  27. ↑ Rösch, M. (2008). New aspects of agriculture and diet of the early medieval period in central Europe: waterlogged plant material from sites in south-western Germany. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 17(1), 225-238.
  28. ↑ Brewing and beer traditions in Norway: The social anthropological background of the brewing industry, Odd Nordland, Universitetsforlaget, 1969.
  29. ↑ Gotlandsdricka: Traditionell kultur som regional identitetssymbol, Anders Salomonsson, Skrifter utg. av Etnologiska sallskapet i Lund, 1979, ISBN   917400106X .
  30. ↑ Vom Halm zum Fass: Die volkstumlichen Alkoholarmen : Getreidegetranke in Finnland, Matti Räsänen, Kansatieteellinen arkisto, 1975.
  31. ↑ "The juniper mystery".
  32. ↑ McCabe, Melvina; Gohdes, Dorothy; Morgan, Frank; Eakin, Joanne; Sanders, Margaret; Schmitt, Cheryl (2005). "Herbal Therapies and Diabetes Among Navajo Indians". Diabetes Care . 28 (6): 1534–1535. doi: 10.2337/diacare.28.6.1534-a . PMID   15920089.
  33. ↑ Tilford, Gregory L. (1997). Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West. Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN   978-0-87842-359-0.
  34. ↑ Peláez F, Cabello A, Platas G, Díez MT, González del Val A, Basilio A, Martán I, Vicente F, Bills GE, Giacobbe RA, Schwartz RE, Onish JC, Meinz MS, Abruzzo GK, Flattery AM, Kong L, Kurtz MB (2010). "The discovery of enfumafungin, a novel antifungal compound produced by an endophytic Hormonema species biological activity and taxonomy of the producing organisms". Syst Appl Microbiol . 23 (3): 333–343. doi:10.1016/s0723-2020(00)80062-4. PMID   11108011.

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