Juniper Berries

Juniper is an evergreen shrub sometimes attaining the height of a small tree up to 3 mtrs with erect trunk and spreading branches, covered with a shreddy bark. The trunk diameter is 25-30 cm. Leaves are straight and rigid, oval shape, about 6-13 mm long and with sharp prickly points. It is dioecious plant. The male and female flowers produced in April and May usually born on separate plants, the male flowers in short catkins and female flowers in small cones. The fleshy berry like fruit is sub-globose, bluish black, dark purple when ripe, 10-13 mm in diameter covered with waxy blook. The three scales comprising fruit, occasionally gaping and exposing bony seeds, usually three, elongated, ovoid, and embedded in the pulp.