Juniperus communis

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Juniperus communis
Juniperus communis subsp. communis
in the Netherlands

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
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
Natural range worldwide
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.

Description

Juniperus communis is highly variable in form, ranging from 10 metres (33 feet)—rarely 16 m (52 ft)—tall to a low, often

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.[3][4][5][6]

The male cones are yellow, 2–3 millimetres (3⁄32–1⁄8 in) long, and fall soon after shedding their

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.[7][8][9]

Chemistry

The juniper berry oil is composed largely of

β-pinene.[10]

Subspecies

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.[7][8][9][11][12][13][14]

  • subsp. communis – Common juniper. Usually an erect shrub or small tree; leaves 8–27 mm (5⁄16–1+1⁄16 in) long; cones small, 5–8 mm, usually shorter than the leaves; found at low to moderate altitude in temperate climates
  • subsp. alpina (Suter) Čelak. – alpine juniper (syn. J. c. subsp. nana, J. c. var. saxatilis Pallas, J. sibirica Burgsd.). Usually a prostrate ground-hugging shrub; leaves short, 3–8 mm; cones often larger, 7–12 mm, usually longer than the leaves; found in subarctic areas and high altitude alpine zones in temperate areas
    • subsp. alpina var. alpina – Greenland, Europe and Asia
    • subsp. alpina var. megistocarpa Fernald & H.St.John – Eastern Canada (doubtfully distinct from var. alpina)
    • subsp. alpina var. jackii Rehder – Western North America (doubtfully distinct from var. alpina)

Some botanists treat subsp. alpina at the lower rank of variety, in which case the correct name is J. communis var. saxatilis Pallas,[8] 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).[15]

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.[16] Relict populations can be found in the Atlas Mountains of Africa.[16]

J. communis is one of Ireland's longest established plants.[17]

Cultivation

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:[18]

  • Juniperus communis 'Compressa'[19]
  • Juniperus communis 'Green Carpet'[20] (prostrate shrub)
  • Juniperus communis 'Hibernica' (Irish juniper)[21]
  • Juniperus communis 'Repanda'[22] (prostrate shrub)

Uses

Crafts

growth rings
of the species

It is too small to have any general

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

Further information: Juniper berry

Its

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").[23] 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.

Juniper is used in the traditional farmhouse ales of Norway,[24] Sweden,[25] Finland,[26] 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.[27]

Traditional medicine

Juniper berries have long been used as medicine by many cultures including the

contraceptive.[29]

Medicine

Juniper leaves were found to harbor fungi with potent anti-fungal compounds,[30] including ibrexafungerp, which is now FDA approved to treat fungal infections.

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T42229A2963096.en
    . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ISBN 9780521707725
    .
  3. ^ Lena K. Ward,The Conservation of Juniper: Longevity and Old Age,Journal of Applied Ecology, Vol. 19, No. 3 (Dec., 1982), pp. 917-928
  4. ^ Lloyd, D.G. and C.J. Webb. 1977. Secondary sex characters in plants. The Botanical Review, 43: 177-216
  5. ^ Forsberg, G.E. 1888. Ueber die Geschlechterverteilung bei Juniperus communis. Bot. Zentralbl. 33, 91-92.
  6. ^ Molisch H, ed. (1929).Die Lebensdauer der Pflanzen.Verlag Gustav Fischer, Jena.
  7. ^
    ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
    .
  8. ^
    ISBN 1-4120-4250-X
    .
  9. ^ a b Arboretum de Villardebelle: Juniperus
  10. PMID 26784665
    .
  11. ^ Flora Europaea: Juniperus communis
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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
  14. ^ 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
  15. ^ Association Ecosystem (Russia): Juniperus sibirica
  16. ^
    OCLC 1158895781
    .
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ "AGM ornamentals". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  19. ^ "Juniperus communis Compressa". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  20. ^ "Juniperus communis Green Carpet". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  21. ^ "Juniperus communis Hibernica". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  22. ^ "Juniperus communis Repanda". London: Royal Horticultural Society. 2015.
  23. ISBN 978-0199206872
    .
  24. ^ Brewing and beer traditions in Norway: The social anthropological background of the brewing industry, Odd Nordland, Universitetsforlaget, 1969.
  25. ISBN 917400106X
    .
  26. ^ Vom Halm zum Fass: Die volkstumlichen Alkoholarmen : Getreidegetranke in Finnland, Matti Räsänen, Kansatieteellinen arkisto, 1975.
  27. ^ "The juniper mystery".
  28. PMID 15920089
    .
  29. ISBN 978-0-87842-359-0
    .
  30. PMID 11108011
    .

Further reading

External links

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