Juniper is a genus of evergreen coniferous plants of the cypress family. It has approximately 75 species, of which the common juniper (Latin name - Juníperus commúnis) is the most common and has many subspecies and forms.
Juniper is a genus of evergreen coniferous plants of the cypress family.
Distribution area
[turbobutton]
Common juniper grows in the Northern Hemisphere in areas with a temperate climate. In Russia, it grows in forests and forest-steppes of the European part, in the Urals and in Siberia (mainly Western). In Russian there is another name for this plant - veres; in Central Asia and the Caucasus it is called "archa".
It is most often found on dry, sandy and podzolic soils, but can also occur in wet moss swamps. It is not afraid of frost and is very drought tolerant, but loves light. The love of light prevents its spread in dense forests, but juniper is often found in sparse spruce and mixed forests. It usually grows on hills and mountain slopes, in undergrowth, on forest edges and on river banks. Open spaces where forests have been cleared are attractive to him; sometimes extensive juniper thickets form here.
Story
The ancestor of junipers - pyramidal cypress - was known to the ancient Greeks. They created a touching legend about how cypress appeared on earth. This is how Ovid, the author of the famous Metamorphoses, conveys this legend:
On one of the islands of the Aegean Sea lived
A huge deer; with widely branching horns,
He himself shrouded his head in deep shadow...
He knew no fear, the deer was free from ordinary fear,
I had a habit of going into houses and being affectionate.
To offer your neck without refusal to an unfamiliar hand.
But no one loved the deer more than the beautiful young man Cypress, the son of the king from the island of Keos. He wandered for a long time with a submissive and meek deer and, like a girl, decorated it with bright fragrant flowers, choosing the lushest herbs and clean spring water for his pet.
And then one day, when Cypress was hunting and the deer was resting under the shade of trees, the young man accidentally killed him. Cypress' grief knew no bounds. In inconsolable sadness, he prayed to the god Apollo that the Arrowhead would give him the opportunity to mourn his irreparable loss “forever.” Apollo heeded the pleas of the grief-stricken young man and decided to turn him into a tree forever.
Now his blood has dried up from endless crying,
Members began to turn green, soon
And the hair that fell around the snow-white forehead,
They began to stick out straight and, having become rigid, began to
Look into the starry sky with their harmonious peaks rising.
So, by the will of Apollo, the beautiful young man turned into a cypress tree, with its tops so surprisingly sensitive to the slightest breath of wind and always directed upward...
At the end of the Mesozoic era, Altai had a warm subtropical climate; pyramidal cypress trees grew in abundance in the forests. But years passed, cold weather set in from the north, climatic conditions gradually changed, and the cypress trees retreated to southern latitudes. But not all. Some have adapted to harsh conditions, and from powerful trees have turned into low-growing trees or shrubs. They began to be called junipers.
Brief botanical overview
The description of common juniper begins with the fact that this plant is a tree. Some varieties reach a height of 10 m, others are shrubs that creep along the ground. The root is usually powerful, the bark is dark gray, sometimes with a brown tint, along the trunk there are like scales (peeling), on old large trees the bark often cracks and peels off. The wood is reddish, has no resin ducts, and has pronounced narrow rings that are clearly visible at any cutting angle. The leaves (needles) are up to 1.5 cm in length, green, needle-shaped, hard, pointed at the ends, have a shallow groove on top with a whitish stripe along the midline (sometimes there are two stripes), and are evenly green below. The needles on the shoots are arranged in the form of a ring of three leaves and are renewed in about 4 years.
Common juniper is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere in areas with a temperate climate.
Falling to the ground, the needles form a loose layer favorable for the soil.
The plant blooms in May. Cones are male and female. Male ones with pollen, small, yellowish, resemble spikelets, female ones are more numerous, greenish, at first similar to buds. After pollination, male cones fall off, female cones grow slowly, gradually changing color. Ripe fruits become black and blue, with a whitish waxy coating, round or egg-shaped, up to 1 cm in diameter. They are called cone berries; on average, the ripening process lasts 1.5 years, but sometimes takes more than 2 years. On a young bush, the first cones appear at the age of 5 or more years. The cone berries are covered on the outside with three not very pronounced scales (sometimes there are 6 of them) and contain several seeds, usually 3. The seeds are light brown, oblong, 4-5 mm long, triangular. The aroma of the cone berry is intense; it tastes juicy, spicy and sweetish. Birds often peck at it, thus helping to disperse the seeds. The lifespan of the common juniper reaches 600 years.
Heather propagation
There are several methods for propagating heather: seeds, cuttings, layering. Whichever one you choose, we advise you to start sowing and planting in the spring.
Propagation by dividing rhizomes
This is the easiest, fastest and most effective way to get several heather bushes from one heather bush.
At the end of August - beginning of September, the plant is dug up and divided into several parts so that each has young shoots. Old branches are cut off and the cuttings are planted according to the same principle as purchased seedlings.
There is no need to shake off the soil from the roots! The chopped parts of the rhizome are planted in the ground with the “native” earthen lump.
Reproduction by layering
Heather reproduces well by layering without outside help. The stems adjacent to the ground take root quickly enough, due to which the plant gradually forms extensive heaths.
If your goal is to get a seedling that can be transplanted to another corner of the garden, sprinkle several shoots with a 1-2 cm layer of soil (it is advisable to use peat), secure it to the ground and leave it alone. Next season, all that remains is to separate the daughter bush and replant it in the right place.
If you do not want heather to multiply uncontrollably in the area, fence the plantings with a fence.
Propagation by cuttings
Another technically simple, but time-consuming method of propagating heather is cuttings. The tops of strong shoots that do not bloom this year are suitable for the role of cuttings.
Cuttings 2.5-4 cm long are cut in summer. The exact timing depends on the type of heather.
| Timing of cuttings | Type of heather |
| End of May – beginning of July |
|
| July August |
|
| Aug. Sept |
|
Root the cuttings in pots with a substrate of peat and sand in a ratio of 3:1.
Before burying the cuttings in the ground, it must be sifted. Otherwise, you may damage the delicate roots during transplantation.
Step 1. The containers are filled with soil mixture and compacted so that the ground level is 1 cm below the edges.
Step 2. Leaves are removed from the bottom of the branches so that they do not begin to rot.
Step 3. Using a stick, make holes in the pots with a depth of half the length of the cut shoot and insert the cuttings there.
Step 4. After this, the pots with the cuttings are spilled with a solution of a fungicide (for example, Topaz). If you plan to root the cuttings in common containers, plant them at a distance of at least 2 cm from each other.
Plant cuttings of plants of different varieties and types in different containers. They all take root differently.
Propagation by seeds
The seed propagation method is usually used only by breeders. It is very costly in terms of time and effort - after all, the seedlings will have to be looked after for 1.5-2 years before planting in the ground! However, if you have the time and desire to experiment, you can try propagating heather with seeds.
The seeds are first germinated for 2-3 weeks in a plate or bowl on a damp cloth. To maintain the moist environment necessary for sprouts to appear, be sure to cover the container with cling film and place it in a warm place (for example, on a radiator).
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The soil for sowing is used the same as for planting heather seedlings: 3 parts of peat and 1 part each of coniferous soil, sand and sawdust.
In about a month, shoots will appear. Seedlings are kept at a temperature of 18-20°C. In the summer, during the daytime, it is periodically taken outside for hardening. At the age of two, seedlings are planted in open ground.
Application and preparation
Juniper is of great interest for some industrial sectors, handicrafts, medicine and cooking.
This is an excellent ornamental plant; landscape designers use it in the design of gardens and parks. In forestry, it is used to strengthen soils on hillsides and slopes. Its wood has high mechanical strength, but the small size of the tree makes it difficult for widespread industrial use. But the beauty, density and long-lasting pleasant smell of wood make it attractive for piece turning, hand carving and making souvenirs, amulets, toys, and canes. Wood is also used to produce paints in brown and red tones. The fruits contain dyes used to dye fabrics in the textile industry. Even resin is used - it serves as a raw material for the production of some varnishes. With such a high utilization rate, almost the entire tree, from roots to needles, is valuable to harvesters. But if the wood can be harvested at any time, the fruits are collected only after full ripening, usually in September and October. When collecting, a cloth or film is spread under the tree, then the trunk and branches are shaken. Along with the berries, pine needles and dried twigs fall, so the material is sorted out, then the berries are dried. Many drying chambers create too high a temperature at which valuable biologically active substances are destroyed, so ovens are not used, and if dryers are used, then only with a temperature limited to +30°C. Most often, drying is carried out in natural conditions, under a canopy or in attics with good ventilation. A sign that the berries have been dried correctly is a preserved delicate aroma, sweetish taste and round shape. The humidity of dry conditioned fruits should not be higher than 20%.
Juniper is of great interest for some industrial sectors, handicrafts, medicine and cooking.
Etymology of the name [edit | edit code ]
According to the most common etymology, juniper
goes back to the Proto-Slavic *moždževelь, which, in turn, goes back to the Proto-Indo-European root *mezg- “to weave, knit” [2].
In other Slavic languages, the name of juniper goes back to the Proto-Slavic *(j)alovььс (cf. Ukrainian. yalivets, Belarusian yadlovets, Czech. jaloves, Polish jałowies, V. Luzh. jаłорс), related, according to one version, to the word yalovy
" barren” [3], and according to another, ancient Greek. ἐλάτη “spruce” and Armenian. ełevin "cedar" [4].
The Latin name (lat. juniperus), according to one version, comes from *joini-parus “giving branches suitable for weaving” [5], according to other sources - from the Celtic word Jeneprus
-
prickly
, due to the spiny leaves of some species [6].
Use in medicine
The fruits contain many essential oils, organic acids, resins and various minerals, and a lot of sugar.
The needles contain ascorbic acid, and the roots are rich in resins and tannins. This combination of the chemical composition of berries, wood and pine needles determines the demand for the plant in medicine and pharmaceuticals. Even in ancient times, juniper was used to treat various diseases; it was believed that even simply staying in the bushes gave a healing effect. It is now known that our ancestors were right in many respects - the volatile substances (phytoncides) contained in juniper can destroy up to 30% of microorganisms in the surrounding air. Fruits are the main raw materials for pharmaceuticals, but wood and pine needles are also used. The wood is used to make “juniper tar” (turpentine oil), which is used as an external irritant, disinfectant and analgesic. The needles serve as raw materials for obtaining essential oil with a disinfectant effect. The fruits have diuretic, choleretic, expectorant, antimicrobial and digestive properties.
Volatile substances that give the plant its aroma have a pronounced insecticidal (insect repellent) effect.
Among this set of positive properties, there is also one negative one - it is toxic to humans, however, only in very large doses, so you should avoid overdose when using medicines based on it. The main limitation concerns patients with kidney disease and stomach ulcers. Oral use is not recommended for pregnant women and children under 3 years of age. In all cases, the duration of taking the drugs is necessarily limited. It is also important not to confuse common juniper with Cossack juniper, the berries of which are poisonous and should not be taken orally. These plants differ in their leaves and smell: mature Cossack juniper has leaves that are not needle-shaped, but scale-like, and the smell when rubbed with your fingers is sharper and not as pleasant as that of an ordinary one.
Let's take a closer look at the areas of application in medicine:
- Diuretic. It has one of the best diuretic effects among herbal preparations. Decoctions and infusions of fruits are usually used.
- Choleretic agent. There are 2 types of such drugs: some stimulate contraction of the gallbladder (cholekinetics), others activate the direct production of bile (choleretics). Juniper mostly belongs to the first group.
- Improved digestion. Berries increase appetite, normalize peristalsis, reduce nausea, prevent diarrhea and suppress flatulence. To normalize digestion, fruits can simply be chewed raw (observing moderation).
- Disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system. Decoctions and infusions are recommended for neuroses and insomnia. Before going to bed, you can take baths with juniper pine or oil.
- Respiratory diseases. It thins sputum well, which helps with bronchitis and pneumonia - it makes dry cough productive. Used in aromatherapy.
- Diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Helps in the treatment of inflammatory processes in joints and muscles. For rheumatism, radiculitis and neuralgia, infusions and decoctions are taken orally. It is used externally in the form of lotions and compresses, and is included in some ointments and creams.
- For skin diseases (dermatitis, lichen, eczema, boils, ulcers) it is used as a wound-healing and bactericidal agent. Baths with juniper help cope with allergic itching.
- A decoction of berries can be used as a gargle for gum inflammation. Infusion and decoction can be used to gargle in the treatment of tonsillitis and pharyngitis.
- Cosmetology. The oil has found application in various anti-aging masks and helps in hair care.
The plant is widely used both in official pharmacology and in folk medicine. In pharmacies, juniper oil (essential oil of juniper) and dried fruits are most often presented.
Additional Information
Common juniper renews itself very poorly, so there is less and less of it in forests. Its seeds germinate poorly, seedlings often die, and surviving individuals grow very slowly.
If you plant the plant as a hedge, you can successfully combat garden pests. Birds willingly settle in the thickets and destroy insects.
The shrub takes root very poorly, so you need to dig it up with a clod of earth without damaging the root system. An established plant does not require form pruning.
During forest fires, even small ground fires, the plant dies first. Its wood and pine needles are saturated with easily emitted essential oil. The plant is very sensitive to air pollution, so it cannot grow in suburban forests.
There is a popular belief that mushrooms grow next to anthills and juniper bushes. Porcini mushrooms and boletus mushrooms grow near it under old birch trees.
Juniper oil
The aroma of the oil contains the smell of resin, a slight admixture of smoke, astringency and spices, meadow grass and the smell of forest are slightly felt. The oil is light and fluid; usually applied externally.
- Preparation of compresses: add 7-8 drops to 1 tbsp. l. base, which can be vegetable oil or vodka, then the fabric is soaked in this mixture, applied to the sore spot, covered with polyethylene, wrapped and left for an hour.
- Therapeutic baths: 5-10 drops of oil are added to a bath filled with warm water (35-40°C). The duration of the first procedure does not exceed 10 minutes, in subsequent days the time is gradually increased to 20 minutes. It is best to take such a bath 2 hours after eating
- During massage, oil is used to enhance metabolic processes and cleanse the skin; the aroma is an additional factor of influence. Essential oil is usually mixed with massage oil, which serves as a base.
- In aromatherapy, juniper oil is usually included in the mixtures used.
- For hot inhalations, add 2-3 drops to 1 liter of hot (80-90°C) water and inhale the steam for 10 minutes, while keeping your eyes closed. It can also be used in the Macholda inhaler; in this case, you should follow the instructions for the device.
- This oil can also be used internally, but not in its pure form. Usually it is diluted in water (1-2 drops per glass) or honey (1 drop per 1 tsp) and consumed twice a day.
- You can enrich the compositions of shampoos and face masks with oil; usually add 2-3 drops per 10 ml.
Sources
1. Anokhin A.V.. Materials on shamanism among the Altai people, collected during travels around Altai in 1910-1912. on behalf of the Russian Committee for the Study of Central and East Asia. Leningrad, 1924; 2. Verzilin N.M. In the footsteps of Robinson.” State Publishing House of Children's Literature 1946; 3. Vereshchagina I.V. Green miracle of Altai: A book about rare and endangered plants of the Altai region. — Barnaul: Alt. book publishing house, 1983. - 152 p. with ill.; 4. Byzantine historians // Trans. S. Destunis. St. Petersburg, 1860. P. 376; 5. Golyshenkov P. P.; Under general ed. G. S. Nazarova. Medicinal plants - Mordov. ASSR. Saransk Mordov. book publishing house 1982, 311 pp.; 6. Dobrokhotova K.V., Chudinov V.V. Medicinal plants of Kazakhstan. Alma-Ata, 1966; 7. Zalesova E. N. and Petrovskaya O. V.. Complete Russian illustrated dictionary-herbal and flower garden, compiled according to the latest botanical and medical works by a doctor. Published by A. A. Kaspari. St. Petersburg. 1898 - 1901; 8. Zlobina T. Healing powers of Altai, Barnaul, Five Plus, 2009, 272 pp.; 9. News from Altai. Trips of a group of missionaries. TEV, Tomsk, 1907; 10. Brief report of the ADM for 1907. TEV, Tomsk, 1908; 11. Kuchin A.P. Flora and fauna of Altai. – Gorno-Altaisk, 2001, 264 p.; 12. Nikiforov Yu. V. Treasured herbs of Altai. Barnaul, 1989. - 208 p., ill.; 13. ADM report for 1910. TEV, Tomsk, 1911; 14. Potapov L.P.. Altai shamanism. - Leningrad, 1991; 15. Plant raw materials of Kazakhstan (Plants: their substances and use), M.-L., 1947; 16. Rare and endangered species of the USSR flora that need protection. 2nd add. ed. Ed. A.L. Takhtajyan. L.: Nauka, 1981. – 264 pp.; 17. Sviridonov G. M., Sviridonova G. A. Along the mountains and valleys of Altai. Gorno-Altai branch of the Altai Book Publishing House, 1980; 18. Toshchakova E. M. Traditional features of the folk culture of the Altaians (XIX - early XX centuries). Novosibirsk, 1978. S. 148, 149.
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Juniper fruits
Dried berries sold in pharmacies belong to the class of herbal preparations with antimicrobial, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from juniper fruits.
- Infusion of dried berries. Brew 10-12 fruits with a glass of boiling water; it is better to crush them first. Wrap up and let sit for at least 3 hours. Then strain. Take the infusion 3 times a day after meals. Store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days in a sealed glass jar.
- Decoction. Pour 10-12 fruits with two glasses of boiling water and boil for 20 minutes over low heat, then cool, strain and bring to the original volume by adding boiled water. Take 3 times a day, 1-2 tbsp. l.
- Alcohol (vodka) infusion. It is often prepared with the addition of other ingredients. For example, for 10 g of chopped berries add 1 tbsp. l. honey and 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for 10 days, then strain. Take 1 tbsp twice a day before meals. l. You can infuse only berries. It is worth remembering that the popular alcoholic drink gin is an alcoholic tincture of juniper berries (with the addition of some herbal spices).
Dried fruits along with juniper chips are used to fill special pillows, which are believed to help fight insomnia and headaches, and help with respiratory diseases.
How to properly care?
The Chinese variety "Stricta" does not have any special requirements for humidity and can withstand drought quite well. But in the first 2-3 months after planting, systematic watering is required, with a large amount of water. If a dry summer sets in, then 30 liters of liquid are spent on each tree. But excessive irrigation is dangerous for juniper. Therefore, when cultivating it in group plantings, either use only this one variety, or select plants with a similar water regime.
Fertilizers only need to be applied once during the growing season. The optimal dates are the last days of April or the beginning of May. Experts advise using universal sets of minerals for coniferous crops. It is not necessary to mulch Strict. If the soil begins to dry out too quickly, reduce the frequency of watering slightly and carefully remove the weeds. Mulch is used to retain moisture only when these measures do not help.
The best option for mulch is wood chips or pine bark. Since the roots develop strongly, the soil should be loosened only near young shoots, and then to a shallow depth. Shaping crown trimming gives good results. In landscape plantings, pruning is necessary regularly. In hedges, unless otherwise specified, only withered branches are removed. The optimal time for cutting is the beginning of spring, before the flow of juices. No more than 1/3 of each shoot should be removed.
The only exception is diseased and dry branches. To prevent the cuts from becoming entry channels for fungal infections, the crown is treated with standard fungicides. Despite the general resistance to winter, you still need to prepare for it.
When cold weather approaches, the tree trunk circles are covered with peat, and the layer is made thicker. It is recommended to cover young seedlings with spruce branches to the very top. To avoid branches breaking under snow load, they are tied to the trunk. If very severe cold is expected, agrospan or burlap is used to insulate the plantings. It is recommended to remove the shelter no earlier than mid-April. It is worth choosing a cloudy day for this, then adaptation to natural light will be better.
Caring for indoor juniper plants deserves a separate discussion. Immediately after purchase, the seedling is immediately transplanted into a slightly larger container. The soil should be intended only for coniferous plants. Drainage is poured into the bottom of the pot. If this is not done, harmful moisture stagnation will occur. Sprinkle the ground with a little mulch and pour liquid fertilizer for conifers. Potted "Stricta" is not watered too actively. In the summer months, watering is done as the soil dries out, and in the winter months - a maximum of twice a month.
Pots are kept on sunny windows. In the summer months, direct sunlight on the crown should be avoided. In the room where juniper is grown, from June to August inclusive, the temperature should be maintained up to +25, and in winter - up to +13 degrees. As the plants grow, they are transplanted into larger pots each spring. But at the same time, they carefully monitor that the root system remains intact, otherwise the juniper may develop serious diseases.
Health and household purposes
Juniper branches are used to make bath brooms, revered by experts for their aroma and bactericidal properties. To avoid damaging the skin with hard needles, pre-soak such a broom in boiling water for 30 minutes. The oil of this plant, the description of which always contains the epithets “fragrant” and “fragrant,” is traditionally used in baths and saunas for aromatizing steam. This oil is also indispensable when using various aromatic medallions. For a long time, juniper berries have been used in cooking, where spices and seasonings are made from them. Such seasonings are especially in demand in the preparation of game dishes, because they effectively fight off the unpleasant odors characteristic of many types of wild animal meat.
The use of juniper in folk medicine is justified and does not conflict with official medicine. Among some peoples of the European north, this plant is considered sacred and has a connection with the world of the dead. The smoke of burning branches, making all kinds of amulets against evil spirits from juniper wood, laying branches on the road to the cemetery - these and similar rituals still find recognition among admirers of the traditions of their ancestors.
Is veres poisonous?
Of all the types of juniper, heather can be called conditionally edible. However, it is important to remember that it cannot be considered edible either. The beauty of the branches and berries should not deceive; you should approach its consumption with the utmost care. It is recommended to use veres only for treatment purposes.
Ground dry berries are used in alternative medicine. In areas of Siberia, some people use small amounts of ground berries as spices, which are added to the meat of wild birds or animals. At the same time, no more than five berries are used per kilogram of meat.
If you do decide to use heather, it is important to be sure that it is common juniper and not any other variety of juniper.
This is very important, since a mistake can lead to the most unpleasant consequences, even death.
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