Prickly Juniper
Juniperus oxycedrus

Family: Cupressaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It is broadly cone shaped. It grows 10 m high. The bark is purple brown and peels off in strips. The leaves are needle like and slender. They are 2.5 cm long. They spread out in rings of three. They are sharp pointed. They are green above and have 2 bands underneath. The male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Male flowers are yellow and female flowers are green. They occur in small clusters in the axils of leaves. The fruit are berry-like cones. They become red to purple as they ripen. The cones are 1.2 cm across.

There are 50 to 60 Juniperus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows naturally in dry woods and on hills in Southern Europe. It suits hardiness zones 5-10.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Balkans, Bosnia, Croatia, Europe, Georgia, India, Italy, Libya, Macedonia, Mediterranean, North Africa, San Marino, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The fruit are used to flavour gin. They can be eaten fresh or boiled to prepare juice. The fruit are also used for a herbal tea. They are also used as a seasoning in meat stews. The shoots are boiled to make tea or cooked and used as a spice. The seeds are used as a coffee substitute.

Edible parts

Fruit, fruit - tea, shoots, seeds

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Ardic, Enebro, Gili gili, GInebre, Katran ardici, Kleka obicna, Kozaraca, Smrck, Smreka, Smrekina, Smrika

Synonyms

Juniperus glauca Salisb.; and several others