Juniper Conifer Shrub (Juniperus Communis)

Juniper (Juniperus communis) is a hardy evergreen conifer shrub and one of only three conifers native to the UK, valued for gardens, moorland planting and wildlife schemes. Growing well in any well drained soil, Juniper thrives on chalk, moorland and rocky sites, and can reach up to around 8 metres in height, though it more often develops as a low, spreading shrub. Its aromatic, needle-like foliage provides dense year round cover, while blue black berries, best known for flavouring gin, offer a valuable food source for birds and insects through the colder months. Slow growing and long lived, Juniper can live for hundreds of years once established.

As one of Britain's few native conifers, Juniper holds particular value for wildlife and conservation planting, forming a dense, textured shrub well suited to coastal or exposed sites.

Juniper is dioecious, meaning individual plants are either male or female, with only female plants producing the berries prized for their culinary and wildlife value.