A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with merged scales giving it a berry-like appearance.
(With the changing seasons flowers are not in abundance anymore, but their fruits are. Perhaps I should have fruit or foliage Fridays, in keeping with the alliteration.)
Does anyone know what kind of tree this is? It is right outside our townhouse door.
I love the clusters of vivid orange berries that is has. The birds don’t seem to touch them though.
Tree Identified: European Rowan
Even more of a reason to love it, it is a sacred tree in Scandinavian myth (the first woman was made out of the rowan) and in Aegean lore the first rowan came from where the blood of an eagle fell on the ground.
You can make a jelly out of the berries too, but shouldn’t eat large quantities of them raw. According to Wikipedia various parts of the tree can be used for throat problems, bowel and vaginal irritations, eye problems, cramps and to remedy diarrhea.
I have a few clusters of berries that the tree let me harvest. I am drying them to add to my Autumn wreath.
