Juniperus oxycedrus L.

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.

Dry, stony slopes in thin soils over all kinds of rock from calcareous to siliceous and serpentine, occasionally on sand dunes, growing in maquis, garrigue, dry mixed woodland, scrub, also in montane and wetter forest; at elevations to 2,200 metres

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.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.