Juniperus communis (Common Juniper)

The genus Juniperus belongs to the Cupressaceae family, and the common juniper is one of its members. It is a shrub or small tree with a wide range of characteristics and a modest spreading habit. The needle-like leaves of the Common Juniper are arranged in three whorls and are green with a single white stripe on the inner surface. It's dioecious, with male and female cones growing on different plants that are pollinated by the breeze. The seed cones are berry-like, green in colour, and mature to purple-black with a blue waxy covering after 18 months. They are spherical, with three (sometimes six) united scales, each containing a single seed.