We have recently published ‘Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions’: i.e. tropical and sub-tropical regions. We rely on regular donations to keep our free database going and help fund development of this and another book we are planning on food forest plants for Mediterranean climates. Please give what you can to keep PFAF properly funded. More >>>

Follow Us:

 

Juniperus communis nana - Syme.

Common Name Juniper
Family Cupressaceae
USDA hardiness 4-10
Known Hazards Although the fruit of this plant is quite often used medicinally and as a flavouring in various foods and drinks, large doses of the fruit can cause renal damage. Juniper should not be used internally in any quantities by pregnant women[65, 165].
Habitats Rocks and moors on mountains and lowland bogs in N. Wales, N. England and Scotland[17].
Range Northern temperate zone, incl Britain, south to the mountains of N. Africa, Himalayas and California
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (4 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Juniperus communis nana Juniper


edibleplants.org
Juniperus communis nana Juniper

 

Translate this page:

Summary

Update: Juniperus communis subsp. nana Syme is a synonym of Juniperus communis var. saxatilis Pall.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of shrub
Juniperus communis nana is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

J. nana. Willd. J. sibirica. Burgsdorf.

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Ground Cover;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit
Edible Uses: Coffee  Condiment  Tea

Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 5, 9, 15]. It is usually dried [12]. The fruit is often used as a flavouring in sauerkraut, stuffings, vegetable pates etc, and is an essential ingredient of gin[183]. The aromatic fruit is used as a pepper substitute according to one report[183]. An essential oil is sometimes distilled from the fruit to be used as a flavouring[183]. Average yields are around 1%[7]. The cones are about 4 - 8mm in diameter and take 2 years to mature[200]. Some caution is advised when using the fruit, see the notes above on toxicity. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute[177]. A tea is made by boiling the leaves and stems[161]. A tea made from the berries has a spicy gin-like flavour[183].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antiseptic  Aromatic  Carminative  Diaphoretic  Diuretic  Rubefacient  Stomachic  Tonic  
Urinary

Juniper fruits are commonly used in herbal medicine, as a household remedy, and also in some commercial preparations. They are especially useful in the treatment of digestive disorders plus kidney and bladder problems[4]. The fully ripe fruits are strongly antiseptic, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, strongly diuretic, rubefacient, stomachic and tonic[4, 7, 9, 21, 46, 165, 240, 254]. They are used in the treatment of cystitis, digestive problems, chronic arthritis, gout and rheumatic conditions[254]. They can be eaten raw or used in a tea[222], but some caution is advised since large doses can irritate the urinary passage[4]. Externally, it is applied as a diluted essential oil, having a slightly warming effect upon the skin and is thought to promote the removal of waste products from underlying tissues[254]. It is, therefore, helpful when applied to arthritic joints etc[254]. The fruits should not be used internally by pregnant women since this can cause an abortion[9]. The fruits also increase menstrual bleeding so should not be used by women with heavy periods[254]. When made into an ointment, they are applied to exposed wounds and prevent irritation by flies[4]. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Toxin elimination'[210].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

The Bookshop: Edible Plant Books

Our Latest books on Perennial Plants For Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens in paperback or digital formats.

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Tropical Plants

Food Forest Plants for Hotter Conditions: 250+ Plants For Tropical Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.
Edible Temperate Plants

Plants for Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests & Permaculture Gardens.

More
PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital media.
More Books

PFAF have eight books available in paperback and digital formats. Browse the shop for more information.

Shop Now

Other Uses

Fibre  Fuel  Hair  Incense  Repellent  Resin  Strewing  Tinder

A decoction of the branches is used as an anti-dandruff shampoo[172]. Yields the resin 'Sandarac', used in the production of a white varnish[74]. The stems were at one time used as a strewing herb[14]. The whole plant can be burnt as an incense and fumigant[66, 102, 146]. It makes a good insect repellent[102, 172]. The bark is used as cordage[61] and as a tinder[172]. An excellent fuel wood[66]. Many forms of this species are good ground cover plants for sunny situations[208].

Special Uses

Food Forest  Ground cover

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in hot dry soils and in poor soils. Succeeds in most soils so long as they are well drained[186], preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil. Does well in chalky soils[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates a pH range from 4 to 8[186]. Succeeds in light woodland but dislikes heavy shade[186]. Established plants are very tolerant of drought[186]. Although the fully dormant plant is cold-tolerant throughout Britain, the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. A very polymorphic species, there is a huge range of cultivars of widely diverse habits[11, 81]. At least some forms tolerate maritime exposure[186], there is a thriving colony in an exposed position at Land's End in Cornwall[81]. Seed takes 2 - 3 years to ripen on the plant[11]. Plants are usually very slow growing, often only a few centimetres a year[186]. Resists honey fungus[88]. Plants are sometimes attacked by a rust, this fungus has an aecidial stage on hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)[1]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is flat with shallow roots spreading near the soil surface [2-1].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

image

The PFAF Bookshop

Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees,Edible Shrubs, Woodland Gardening, and Temperate Food Forest Plants. Our new book is Food Forest Plants For Hotter Conditions (Tropical and Sub-Tropical).

Shop Now

Plant Propagation

The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[78, 81]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[11]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[1]. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[1, 78]. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months[78].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Azerbaijan, China, Dagestan, Eastern Siberia, Georgia, Hokkaidô, Honshu, Japan, Jilin Sheng, Kamcatskij kraj, Kazakhstan (east), Korea, Kurile Islands, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Russian Federation, Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia, Russian Federation-Western Siberia, Sakhalin, Tajikistan, Turkey, Western Siberia, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu,Afghanistan. TROPICAL ASIA: Nepal, Pakistan, NORTHERN AMERICA: Canada, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia, United States, Alaska, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Illinois (north & east), Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (northwest), Wisconsin, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Georgia (north), North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom (U.K.), Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation-European part, European part, Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal, AFRICA: Algeria (north), Morocco.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Juniperus asheiAshe Juniper, Mountain CedarTree6.0 7-9 SLMHNDM102
Juniperus californicaCalifornian Juniper, ChuperosaTree12.0 8-10 SLMHNDM212
Juniperus chinensisChinese Juniper, Sargent juniperTree15.0 4-10 SLMHNDM023
Juniperus communisJuniper, Common juniperShrub9.0 4-10 SLMHSNDM334
Juniperus confertaShore JuniperShrub0.2 6-10 SLMHSNDM203
Juniperus deppeanaAlligator JuniperTree18.0 7-9 SLMHNDM302
Juniperus drupaceaSyrian JuniperTree15.0 6-9 MLMHNDM30 
Juniperus excelsaGrecian JuniperTree20.0 5-9  LMHNDM213
Juniperus horizontalisCreeping Juniper, Horizontal JuniperShrub1.0 4-9 MLMHNDM213
Juniperus monospermaOne-Seed JuniperTree18.0 4-8 MLMHNDM323
Juniperus occidentalisWestern JuniperTree18.0 4-8 SLMHNDM323
Juniperus osteospermaDesert Juniper, Utah juniperTree12.0 4-8 SLMHNDM223
Juniperus oxycedrusPrickly Juniper, Cade juniperTree15.0 8-10 MLMHNDM012
Juniperus recurvaHimalayan JuniperTree12.0 6-9 SLMHNM111
Juniperus rigidaTemple Juniper, Needle JuniperTree8.0 6-7 SLMHNDM213
Juniperus sabinaSavine, Tam JuniperShrub4.0 4-7 SLMHNDM024
Juniperus scopulorumRocky Mountain Juniper, Weeping Rocky Mountian Juniper, Colorado Red CedarTree10.0 3-7 SLMHNDM324
Juniperus silicicolaSouthern Redcedar, Juniper, Southern Red CedarTree20.0 7-10 SLMHNDM223
Juniperus squamataFlaky JuniperShrub4.0 4-7 SLMHNDM013
Juniperus tetragona Tree0.0 7-10  LMHNDM202
Juniperus virginianaPencil Cedar, Eastern redcedar, Southern redcedar, Silver Cedar, Burk Eastern Red Cedar, Silver EastTree20.0 3-9 SLMHNDM224

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Syme.

Botanical References

1117

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Add a comment

If you have important information about this plant that may help other users please add a comment or link below. Only comments or links that are felt to be directly relevant to a plant will be included. If you think a comment/link or information contained on this page is inaccurate or misleading we would welcome your feedback at [email protected]. If you have questions about a plant please use the Forum on this website as we do not have the resources to answer questions ourselves.

* Please note: the comments by website users are not necessarily those held by PFAF and may give misleading or inaccurate information.

To leave a comment please Register or login here All comments need to be approved so will not appear immediately.

Subject : Juniperus communis nana  
© 2010, Plants For A Future. Plants For A Future is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Charity No. 1057719, Company No. 3204567.