Gardening with Juniper
Juniper is simply a beautiful evergreen, and with over 50 varieties in the genus, there is one to suit absolutely every landscape. It's not surprising, with our tiny little suburban lawns, that the most common variety is the dwarf Juniper, with it's low growing, spreading habit. Dwarf varieties can grow up to about 2-3 feet (or stay smaller!), while the full grown tree varieties can range up to 30 feet in height. The leaves are what we normally call needles, about a ½ inch long and sharply pointed with a distinguishing white band at the tip. The berries are bluish purple, and often covered with a whitish waxy coating.
If you are growing Juniper for the berries, you'll need both male and female varieties or the female won't set fruit. The female of the species has smallish, green flowers, while the male forms yellow blooms in early Spring.
Junipers prefer lieighloam or even sandy soil, and sunny locations. Cuttings are the easiest form of propagation. Harvest the berries in the Fall, taking only the most ripe, purplish ones. As the berries take two to three years to ripen, there will be green and bluish berries on the stems. You only want to pick and use the darker, blue-purple ones. Spread them on a screen to dry until they turn a dull blackish color. While most use the dried berry, be aware that the oil in the fresh berries is significantly more potent than that of the dried...potentially too potent for use.
Juniper around the House
There are many crafts that use evergreens in many ways, and Juniper is a lovely addition to these. You can always use Juniper in the kitchen as well, and benefit from its unique flavor. Since the flavor is so strong, only a few are needed for any culinary undertaking. They can be added successfully (in moderation) to salads, are especially tasty with wild game dishes, and in stews and sauces, and with cabbage. As a spice, the berries combine well with parsley, fennel, bay, and garlic. One of the best ways to enjoy the flavor, in my opinion, is to put a few branches on the grill to give meets a subtle smoky flavor.
Magical Use
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun, Jupiter and Mercury
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