Common juniper
A dioecious juniper widespread on mountains and heaths of the northern hemisphere; wind-pollinated without nectar, it offers only a little pollen in spring.
- Nectar
- None
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 1-5 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Common juniper ranges across Europe, the mountains of northern and eastern Anatolia, the Caucasus and Siberia to North America; in the mountains it forms prostrate mats, at lower elevations upright shrubs. It is dioecious and wind-pollinated; it produces no nectar. Although it is an insignificant source for beekeeping, it covers a lot of ground on high pastures and in the understorey of pine forests.
Flowering
Depending on altitude, male plants shed pollen between April and May, or by early June on high pastures. Honey bees collect this pollen rarely and in small amounts.
Honey and pollen
It contributes neither honey nor honeydew. The berry-like cones ripen over two years and are used as a spice.
Note for the beekeeper
On juniper pastures, apiary yield depends on the thyme, milkvetch, clover and other herbaceous plants growing among the junipers. Prostrate juniper clumps can act as a natural screen protecting hives from the wind in high-pasture apiaries.