Juniper
Juniper is
one of our few native evergreen trees (Yew, Holly, Box and Scots Pine are the
others). Due to its slow growth the tree will mostly appear as shrub, but in
favourable circumstances it will reach 15 feet or more. A peculiarity is that
the Common Juniper retains its juvenile (awl shaped needles or leaves) foliage,
whereas other Junipers also achieve the scale-like mature leaves. The dark-bluer
berries take about tree years to ripen and so we will find both green, as well
as blue-black berries (with a bloom) on the branches. The bark is reddish-brown
and this can shred and curl in strips.
There are about 60 species of Juniper in the northern hemisphere in America,
Europe and Asia from above the Arctic Circle down to Malawi in Africa. Common
Juniper has the widest distribution of these trees and is found throughout the
temperate Northern hemisphere right down to the Himalayas and North Africa.
In Britain it is found naturally on the thin peaty acid soils of the Pinewoods
of Scotland, on the Limestone areas of North England, Wales and Northern
Ireland, as well as the chalk-lands of South England. Its appearance is variable
and its geographic races are sometimes classed as different species.
Many other Juniper species and cultivars are grown in gardens and collections
all over the country.
Flowers in
May-June, male and female on separate plants, female develop into berries, which
remain green for a year or so then ripen to become blue-black.