# common juniper (*Juniperus communis*) The common juniper is a small shrub with needle-like leaves and blue berries. It grows in many places and is great for wildlife, providing food and shelter. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![common juniper](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Juniperus_communis_fruits_-_Keila.jpg&width=800) Photo: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Juniperus_communis_fruits_-_Keila.jpg) ## Appearance The common juniper is a coniferous shrub with stiff, pointed, needle-like leaves, typically arranged in whorls of three. Its 'berries' are actually small, round, fleshy cones that ripen to a distinctive blue-black color, often with a powdery white coating. It can vary from a low, spreading bush to an upright, slender tree, making it visually distinct from other conifers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Pinopsida - **Order:** Pinales - **Family:** Cupressaceae - **Genus:** Juniperus ## Interesting facts - Its 'berries' are actually mini cones that take two whole years to fully ripen! - Juniper is famous for giving gin its unique, piney flavour! - Some juniper plants can live for over 1,000 years, making them ancient living witnesses! - This tough plant is one of the most widespread conifers in the Northern Hemisphere! ## Special abilities - **Winter Green:** Common juniper keeps its tough, waxy needles all year, which helps it perform photosynthesis even in winter when other plants lose their leaves. - **Spiky Shield:** Common juniper's sharp, pointed needles can deter hungry animals from nibbling its foliage, protecting it from being eaten. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-500 cm - **Spread:** 100-400 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Eats its fleshy cones (berries) for food. - **Parasitizes:** [Cedar-apple Rust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-apple-rust) (*Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae*) — A fungus that needs juniper to complete its life cycle. - **Shelter:** [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — Provides dense cover for rabbits to hide from predators. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses its foliage, especially during winter months. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Coniferous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coniferous): Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't eat the berries without asking an adult first, as some berries can be tricky. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify common juniper? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is common juniper? 50-500 cm ### How wide does common juniper spread? 100-400 cm ### When does common juniper bloom? Spring ### Is common juniper edible? Yes ### Is common juniper toxic? Mild ### What is common juniper's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is common juniper pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-lodge-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-national-park-scenic-trails-historic-district) — Utah, US · Trail - [Glen Haven](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glen-haven) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Independence](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/independence) — Colorado, US · Neighborhood - [Mormon Row Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mormon-row-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Murie Ranch Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/murie-ranch-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District [View all places to see common juniper](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-juniper) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Common Juniper: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-juniper)