Uses of Juniper

Uses of Juniper

      We have some Juniper (Juniperus communis), from the family of Cupressaceae, growing in our back yard. I pruned some small maple trees away from it as it was getting choked out. However, I have never seen any berries on the Juniper which is unusual. My research shows that Juniper grows in North America, North Africa, Europe, and North Asia. The Juniper berries are used in herbal medicine, cooking, and in making gin. Medieval physicians thought that Juniper was good for snake bites and plague. Berries were used in Switzerland to sanitize the air and the boughs were distributed to freshen the air.

     The unripe Juniper berries contain essential oil (camphene, cineole, mycene, pinene, terpinene), plus sequiterpenes, flavonids, glycosides, tannins, podophyllotoxin, and vitamin C.

The earliest medicinal use of Juniper was recorded by Egyptians in 1500 B.C.E when it was used to treat tapeworms and the Medieval herbalist, Culpepper, recommend it for flatulence. Many uses of Juniper Berries are listed on the website -- www.theepicentre.com/Spices/juniper.html -- which comments, “Today Juniper Berries are beneficial in treating infections, especially within the urinary tract, bladder, kidneys, and prostate. The antiseptic properties help remove waste and acidic toxins from the body, stimulating a fighting action against bacterial and yeast infections. Juniper berries also help increase the flow of digestive fluids, improving digestion and eliminating gas and stomach cramping. As a diuretic, Juniper Berries eliminate excess water retention contributing to weight loss. Juniper Berries anti-inflammatory properties are ideal for relieving pain and inflammation related to rheumatism and arthritis.” These berries are also helpful in alleviating colds and congestion. Juniper has also been used in religious rituals and represented the fertility goddess Ashera or Astarte among the Cannanites in Syria and in the Bible says that the prophet Elijah sat under a Juniper tree.

I obtained some bags of dried Juniper berries and intend to use them for medicinal purposes, or perhaps if I get adventurous a flavouring in my cooking.