Would you like to make this site your homepage? It's fast and easy...
Yes, Please make this my home page!
HERB ALLEY
Juniper Berries
(Juniperus communis)
COMMON NAMES: Prickly
juniper.
MEDICINAL PART: Berries,
new twigs.
DESCRIPTION: Juniper
is an evergreen shrub found in dry, rocky soil in North America from the
Arctic circle to Mexico, as well as in Europe and Asia. The plant
usually grows from 2 to 6 feet high, but may reach a height of 25 feet.
The bark is chocolate-brown tinged with red. The needle-shaped leaves
have white stripes on top and are a shiny yellow-green beneath. They
occur on the branches in whorled groups of three. Yellow male flowers
occur in whorls on one plant. green female flowers consisting of three
contiguous, upright seed buds on another plant. Flowering time is
April to June. The fruit is a berry-like cone which is green the
first year and ripens to a bluish-black or dark purple color in the second
year.
PROPERTIES AND USES:
Antiseptic, carminative, diuretic, rubefacient, stomachic, tonic. Juniper
is normally taken internally by eating the berries or making a tea from
them. It is usefrl for digestive problems resulting from an underproduction
of hydrochloric acid, and is also helpful for gastrointestinal infections,
inflammations, and cramps. In large doses, or with prolonged use
it can irritate the kidneys and urinary passages; therefore it is not recommended
for those with kidney problems or with kid problems (i.e. pregnant women).
The berries have also been recommendid for eliminating excess water and
for gouty and rheumatic pains. As a spice, they are often used to
enhance flavor, stimulate appetite, and counteract flatulence. Juniper
oil. derived from the berries, penerates the skin readily and is good for
bone-joint problems; but the pure oil is irritating and, in large quantities,
can cause inflammation and blisters. Breathed in a vapor bath, it
is useful for bronchitis and infection in the lungs. Juniper tar,
or oil of cade, is produced by destructive distillation of the wood of
another species (juniperus oxycedrus) and is used for skin problems and
for loss of hair.
PREPERATION AND DOSAGE:
Infusion: Steep 1 tsp
crushed berries in 1/2 cup water for 5 to 10 minutes in a covered pot and
strain. Take 1/2 to 1 cup a day, a mouthful at a time. If desired,
sweeten with 1 tsp honey (or raw sugar) unless used for gastrointestinal
problems.
Jam or Syrup: Adults
take 1 tbsp, two times a day, in water, tea, or milk. Children take
1 tsp, three times a day. Take an hour before meals as an appetizer.
Dried Berries: Chew a
few a day.
The Herb Book by
John Lust
