Until 2013, this species was considered in a wider sense and its range was treated as covering almost all of the Mediterranean region. The former subspecies Juniperus phoenicea turbinata is now considered to be a full species (as Juniperus turbinata Guss.), with the full range previously attributed to Juniperus phoenicea, whilst Juniperus phoenicea is restricted to the Iberian Peninsula, southern France and a small area in northwestern Italy[].

Common Name: Phoenician Juniper

General Information

Juniperus phoenicea is an evergreen shrub or a tree with a dense, conical crown; it usually grows up to 6 metres tall, occasionally reaching 10 metres, with a trunk that can reach 100 - 200cm in diameter[]
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials; it is also used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations. It has potential for use as a pioneer when restoring native woodland, and is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.
The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The essentail oil in the plant contains sabinol . This compound is a strong irritant and can cause digestive, neurological, cardiorespiratory and hepato-renal disorders[].

Botanical References

Range

Southwestern Europe - Portugal, Spain, southern France, northwest Italy

Habitat

Forming scrub, thickets and open woodlans on hills, stable dunes and in arid mountain regions; at elevations up to 1,200 metres[, ]

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	5.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Juniperus phoenicea is not a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate short-lived temperatures down to around -5°c when fully dormant[]. It is native mainly to coastal regions of the western Mediterranean, though can also be found further inland, experiencing hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. It can succeed in regions where the annual precipitation is only 200mm[].
Requires an open, sunny position and a well-drained soil, favouring but not restricted to calcareous substrates[]. The plant can experience sea spray and severe winter storms in its native habitat[].
The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental[].
The plant is said to be able to live for more than 1,000 years[].
Plants are usually monoecious, though dioecious forms occur and can be locally predominant[]. In this case, both male and female forms would need to be grown if seeds were to be produced.

Edible Uses

The reddish and more or less succulent seed cones can be used as a flavouring in cooking and alcoholic beverages[, ]. The dark reddish or yellowish brown, globose fruits take two years to mature. They are around 8 - 15mm in diameter, containing three to nine seeds[, ].

Medicinal

The aerial parts of the plant are used in the treatment of skin diseases, pharyngitis, rheumatism, diabetes and diarrhoea[].
(The above uses were attributed to Juniperus phoenicea growing in Tunisia (which would in actuality have been the subspecies turbinata). The plants growing in that region are now considered to be the distinct species, Juniperus turbinata. Since the two species are very closely related, it would be reasonable to assume that these uses are interchangeable[].

An essential oil obtained from the plant is antifungal and antimicrobial[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Phoenician Juniper is a natural pioneer species, moving into open areas, grassland, abandoned fields etc and creating an environment suitable for other woodland plants to become established[]. It can be used to restore native woodland and also to establish woodland gardens[].

Other Uses

An extract of the gum of the plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin tonic [].
An extract obtained from the wood of the plant is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations for perfumery[].

The rose-coloured wood is fine-grained, hard, solid and resinous with an aromatic fragrance. It is appreciated, like other juniper woods, for small manufactured objects and inlay works. In Algeria and Tunisia, when the trunk grows straight, it is used for joinery and carpentry[].
In Africa the wood is used mainly as fuel and for the production of charcoal[].
The wood is of little commercial value[].

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[, ]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[]. 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[].
Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/early autumn in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[, ].
Layering in September/early autumn. Takes 12 months[].