When you think of juniper, do you reflect on the landscaping shrub found in public parks and gardens? Or maybe you’re familiar with juniper’s needle-like greenery as a bonsai enthusiast. But there’s so much more to know about this coniferous member of the cypress family! For starters, juniper yields a spice and an essential oil. A clue to its character is revealed by taxonomy: its name is derived from the Latin “junio,” meaning “young,” and “parere,” which means “produce.”

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