Description :
The Juniper tree is a conifer that is native to Western North America and grows up to 10 feet tall and has needle-like leaves and seed cones. The dark blue-black scales that come from the seed cones are referred to as berries and take between 18 months to 3 years to ripen. There are many varieties of Juniper from low-slung ground cover to tall bushy trees. Juniper berries were used by multiple ancient civilizations, they were often crushed and steeped in water for internal use as a diuretic and to supposedly help dissolve kidney stones.
History and Folklore:
Juniper berries have been found in many ancient Egyptian tombs, indicating their use in ritual practice for quite some time. An apocryphal biblical tale tells of how the infant Jesus and his parents were hidden from King Herod’s soldiers by a juniper during their flight into Egypt. Juniper berries are not really berries at all, but a seed cone that the plant develops in order to reproduce. Juniper berries are what give gin its flavor.
Cultivation and Harvest:
Harvest the berries in the fall when they are blue to purple in color.
Precautions:
Do not use while pregnant or nursing. Avoid use in people with kidney disease. Do not use, continually, for more than six weeks at a time.
Traditional Herbal Actions:
Antibacterial, Antiviral, Diuretic, Antilithic
Other Names:
Common Juniper, Ginepro (Italian for Juniper), Ginevra (Italian variant form of Juniper), and Ginny
Related Species:
Juniperus, Communis, J. Monosperma,J. Occidentalis, J. Osteosperma, J. Scopulorum
Ingredients: Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis)
None of these items or statements are approved by FDA. Consult your physician before taking any supplement. Do not take herbs or tinctures during pregnancy without consulting your healthcare provider. This product is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. All information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
*This statement has not been verified by the FDA and is only referenced here as a fun fact and/or for historical commentary, is not to be used as medical advice in any way. Consult your doctor before ingesting any herbal product.
Landon –