About Juniperus phoenicea L.
Juniperus phoenicea L. is a large evergreen shrub or small tree that grows 5–8 meters (16–26 feet) tall, with a trunk up to 1–2 m (3+1⁄2–6+1⁄2 ft) in diameter and a rounded or irregular crown. Its dark grayish-brown bark can be peeled in strips. This species produces two forms of leaves: juvenile needle-like leaves that are 5–14 millimetres (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) long and 1 mm wide, found on seedlings, and adult scale-leaves that are 1–2 mm long, found on older plants. Adult leaves range in color from green to blue-green, and both leaf types are arranged in opposite decussate pairs or whorls of three. The species is largely monoecious, though some individual plants are dioecious. Female cones are berry-like, 6–14 mm in diameter, orange-brown, and occasionally covered in a pinkish waxy bloom; they hold 3–8 seeds, mature in approximately 18 months, and are mainly dispersed by birds. Male cones are 2–4 mm long, shed their pollen in early spring, and pollen is dispersed by wind. The species is primarily distributed in the Western Mediterranean region, with its core range concentrated in eastern Spain and Southern France. Additional, often isolated populations have been recorded in other Western Mediterranean areas, including the Sierra de Tramuntana in Mallorca and Cabo Espichel in Portugal. In Italy, it grows in the western Maritime Alps, the Apuan Alps, and Monte Albo in Sardinia. This juniper typically occurs at elevations from 50–100 m up to around 1,600–1,800 m, with the highest concentration of localities between 400 and 1,200 m. Its distribution reflects a preference for inland, rocky, sub-mountainous habitats, often on calcareous soils. The highest documented elevations for the species are 1,900 m in Spain’s Sierra Nevada and 1,970 m in Spain’s Sierra Mágina. Juniperus phoenicea prefers a hot, arid climate with abundant sunlight, and grows on rocky or sandy ground. Its preferred soil is moderately basic calcareous soil with a pH between 7.7 and 7.9, but it can also grow on silicate soils. Despite having a shallow root system, it can survive with as little as 200 mm (8 in) of rain per year. It often forms scrubs and thickets alongside other plant species. Within its natural range in France and Spain, J. phoenicea has a generation length of 25 years, and was classified as a stable species on the 2016 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its coastal habitats are most threatened by human settlement and tourism. Humans often introduce non-native plants including pines, black locust, French tamarisk, desert false Indigo, American agave, tree of heaven, and some South African succulents to stabilize dunes, and these introduced species disrupt the natural vegetation of J. phoenicea. The species is also highly threatened by fire, as it is very flammable and does not regenerate well after burns, so new plants must be planted after fire damage. The berries of Juniperus phoenicea are used as a seasoning in cooking and added to alcoholic beverages, most often to flavor gin. Juniper berries have also been used in traditional medicine to treat a range of conditions, though there is no high-quality clinical evidence that they produce any therapeutic effect. Extracts of juniper berries and wood tar have been used as an aromatic ingredient, particularly in cosmetics, but a 2001 review notes that the safety of ointments made from J. phoenicea and related species has not been adequately proven. Topically applied juniper extracts may cause allergic skin reactions, and should be avoided during pregnancy. The tree’s essential oil is especially rich in the tricyclic sesquiterpene thujopsene; the heartwood contains an estimated 2.2% thujopsene, which accounts for the wood’s high natural durability. In 1960, biochemist Jarl Runeburg noted that J. phoenicea is the most convenient source of thujopsene discovered to date. Juniper wood is used for small manufactured items and inlay work in carpentry. In Africa, it is used in building construction, and is primarily harvested for fuel and charcoal production.
