Juniper (berrying types)

Juniper berries take an unusual two to three years to ripen on the plant, turning from green to that distinctive blue-black. Female plants begin producing cones (the "berries") within three to four years of planting, but you will need a male plant nearby for pollination as juniper is dioecious. The berries are the classic flavouring for gin, wonderful in game dishes, and have a long history in herbal medicine. Growth is slow and the plants are long-lived. Native juniper is increasingly rare in the wild, so growing your own supports conservation too.