Juniper Berries

A lesser-known winter foraging plant is the juniper berry. The “fruits” (soft seed cones) can be found in much of the Midwest, and have several culinary and medicinal uses.

Plant Profile:

Scientific Name: Juniperus spp.

Preferred Habitat: Open fields, disturbed spaces, edges of forests

Edible Parts: Berries, needles

Distribution: Juniperus communis (Common Juniper) grows in most of the US and Canada, and there are juniper species that exist in many parts of the world.

Harvest Season: Berries can be harvested most times of year, but the best time from what I’ve found is from late October to mid-late January.

Key Identifiers: Most juniper species have scaled or needle-like leaves (much like most evergreens.) The biggest identifier is the small “berries” that hang on the branches in the fall and winter (some species have berries for more of the year.)

Toxic Look-Alikes: Juniperus oxycedrus and Juniperus sabina are toxic to humans and should be avoided! Look these up and learn how to properly identify them.

Nutrition:

There is very little information on the specific nutrient content of juniper berries, but here are some key benefits that are known:

• Great vitamin C content (35% of the daily value per 100g)

• Contains flavonoid antioxidants

• Contains volatile oils

• Anti-inflammatory

• May have anti-diabetic properties (lowers blood sugar in animals)

• Improves HDL cholesterol levels, and lowers LDL cholesterol

• Antibacterial and antifungal properties

• Very effective at treating UTIs

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Juniper can be a uterine stimulant and is NOT recommended for pregnant women as there is a risk of miscarriage!

So aside from having many beneficial compounds, what is juniper good for?

Traditionally juniper was used for brewing. (Gin and beers in particular.)

The hazy white “powdery” coating on the outside of the fruits are actually wild yeasts which makes it prime for fermentation!

I have used juniper as a yeast starter which works very well (I’ll explain that process in a minute) but I have also seen people use the berries to ferment honey, add into sauces, use as a spice, use to flavor meats because of the somewhat piney flavor.

In addition, they can be used to ferment sauerkrauts, as a pickling spice, to flavor baked goods (like cookies) or in cocktails.

Here is my process to ferment anything with wild yeasts (blueberries, wild plums, wild grapes etc all have that same yeast bloom on the skin of the fruit,):

• Place a handful (or 1cup if you want to get technical) in a jar of clean water.

• Add a little bit of raw sugar, brown sugar, or raisins to be a food source for the yeasts. (I usually default to 1tbsp per qt of liquid)

• Make sure you shake or stir them every day. Within a few days, you should notice the mixture bubbling.

I generally leave lids on very loosely so the ferment can breathe and not explode the jars and only tighten them when shaking the jar up or transporting it.

And that’s it!

One thing to be aware of is that not every species of juniper are edible. While most are safe, Juniperus oxycedrus and Juniperus sabina are toxic to humans. I don’t have these species in Michigan so I’m not very familiar with them admittedly!

Additional Notes:

Remember that while a lot of juniper species produce whiteish-blue berries, they can be a darker purple color as well.

Some species have misleading common names such as the Eastern Redcedar. This is actually a juniper species and NOT a cedar species!

Junipers are dioecious meaning that there are separate male and female plants. It’s the females that produce the berries!

I tend to find these plants in areas with poor sandy soil so this could be a great addition to a food forest in the right context. Which leads me to the next section…

Here are some species and varieties to consider when growing them for berries:

• Common Juniper - One of the best for berries, easy to find for sale, and native to Europe, Asia, and North America. Great for cold climates (zones 3-8)

• California Juniper - Good berries, best in warm climates (zones 8-10)

• Chinese Juniper - Mostly for aesthetics, but good for cold climates (zones 4-8)

• Creeping Juniper - Very easy to find, over 100 cultivars available, great for zones 3-9, also makes a great groundcover in a proper food forest setting

• Eastern Redcedar - A native juniper that has excellent aroma and great cold hardiness (zones 2-9) also good for smaller lumber

Most of these species can be found at these online stores:

Kinsey Family Farm

Nature Hills

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