Juniper, << JOO nuh puhr, >> is the common name of a group of evergreen shrubs and small trees of the cypress family. About 60 species (kinds) of junipers grow in many parts of the world. There are 13 species native to the United States. Juniper trees are often called cedars or redcedars. However, they are not the same as true cedars, which belong to the pine family.
Junipers have distinctive berrylike cones, or fruits. These fragrant fruits vary in color from blue to red. Usually, the male and female flowers grow on different trees. Only trees with female flowers will bear fruit. Leaves of the tree may be needlelike and prickly, or they may be scalelike and lie tightly against the twigs.
The common juniper usually grows as a low, mat-forming shrub. It ranks as one of the most widely distributed woody plants in the world. It grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere in countries with a cold climate. The fruit of the common juniper contains an oil used in medicines and to flavor gin. The Chinese juniper, another well-known species, is native to eastern Asia. Many cultivated varieties of Chinese juniper are planted worldwide.
The eastern redcedar is the only juniper of commercial importance in the United States. Its fragrant, reddish wood is used in cedar chests and closets. The odor acts as a moth repellent. Redcedar is also used in making furniture and pencils. Juniper wood resists decay, and is used for fence posts. Oils from the leaves and wood of some species are used in perfumes and medicines.
