Herb. No. 114 · Cupressaceae
Circumboreal common juniper of dry hills and heath.
Native · Europe · North America · West Asia
Native Also grown
LegalCautionplant
Juniper
Juniperus communis
The blue berry that makes gin smell like a northern wood — a roasting spice with a kidney caveat in quantity.
Common juniper is a circumboreal evergreen. The ‘berry’ is a fleshy cone, used to flavor sauerkraut, game, and gin. Traditional European use as a diuretic is why this plate stays culinary: concentrated juniper is hard on the kidney. Identify J. communis; savin and some ornamentals are the wrong plant.
Flavor
Pine, gin, citrus-resin. Crush a berry and the kitchen becomes a forest.
Parts used
Ripe berry (fleshy cone)
Helpful
- A wild northern spice
- A handsome shrub
Cautions
- Wrong juniper is toxic
- Not a daily medicinal tea
- Kidney caution in quantity