Full Classification of Juniper Berry

Kingdom, Division

• Juniper is a member of the plant (Plantae) kingdom. It is a vascular plant, subkingdom Tracheobionta, and a seed plant, superdivision Spermatophyta. Juniper’s division is Coniferophyta, which consists of conifers. Conifers are gymnosperms, which means their seeds are not enclosed by a ripened ovary, or fruit. The berrylike cones of junipers are used medicinally, as a seasoning and to flavor gin. They also provide food for birds.

Class, Order, Family

• The Pinopsida class and Pinales order comprise woody plants that bear cones. Junipers are in the cypress (Cupressaceae) family, which includes about 30 genera, the largest conifer family. Typically, the family members’ bark is reddish-brown and fibrous, and their leaves begin as needlelike structures but mature into scalelike sprays.

Genus, Species, Varieties

• The genus “Juniperus” and species “virginiana” refer to the tree commonly called red cedar, although it is a juniper, not a cedar. There are two varieties, Juniperus virginiana var. silicola, which means small, and Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana, the Eastern red cedar.

Cultivars

• Cultivars are plants bred for desirable characteristics. Cultivars of juniper include “Canaertii” (Juniperus virginiana “Canaertii”), which is a compact selection that produces an abundance of berrylike seedcones, and “Skyrocket” (Juniperus virginiana “Skyrocket”), a narrow, columnar variety with silver-blue foliage.