Sweet fruit Juniper
Juniperus deppeana

Family: Cupressaceae

What it is like

A cone shaped tree. It grows 15 m tall. The bark is dark grey. It is divided into small oblong plates. The leaves are scale like and small. They are 3 mm long. They are bright green and have a white resin speck on the back. There are 2 white bands near the base. The leaves are rough to the touch. The leaves have a sharp tip. The leaves have an aroma when crushed. The fruit looks like a berry and is rounded and red-brown. They are covered with a bloom. It is 1.5 cm across.

There are 50 to 60 Juniperus species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows on rocky slopes in high mountains. It suits hardiness zones 7-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, Britain, Central America, Europe, Mexico, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw. They are also roasted, dried or ground into meal.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Alligator Juniper, Chequerboard juniper, Check-barked Juniper, Sweet-fruited juniper, Tascate blanco, Tlascal blanco

Synonyms

Juniperus pachyphlaea Torr.; and others