Junipers are coniferous trees of the cypress family. There are many and various species throughout the world. The highest elevation juniper forest is in the Tibet and Himilayan Mountain area, at about 16.075 feet. The sizes of the trees vary from low spreading shrubs up to 131 feet tall. In some species, the female seed-cones have fleshy and merged scales which form the appearance of a berry. The color of the “berry” varies among the species, from orange to red-brown to blue. The berries are often aromatic and can be used as a spice.

In the northern Arizona region, there are various junipers, including the Utah juniper, Rocky mountain juniper, and the alligator juniper, which has bark that looks like alligator skin. The evergreen Utah junipers grows in areas of dry plains, plateaus, hills, and mountains. They are often found in pure stands or with pinon pines. The bark is fibrous and shredding. These trees grow slowly and they can become more contorted with age from the elements it is surrounded by. The berries can be eaten by humans and birds. The berry is also used in assorted beverages. Gin is a liquor developed in the 17th century in the Netherlands and the pre-dominant flavor in the earliest class of gin derives from juniper berries. Sahti is a Finnish rye and juniper flavored beer. Both berries and bark are use from the juniper to make this. There is also a juniper-berry flavored soda created by the Dry Soda Company.

Here are a few Utah juniper trees in northern Arizona…