Juniperus oxycedrus is very variable in shape, forming a spreading
shrub tall to a small erect
tree tall. It has needle-like
leaves in whorls of three; the leaves are green, long and broad, with a double white stomatal band (split by a green midrib) on the inner surface. It is usually
dioecious, with separate male and female plants. The
seed cones are
berry-like, green ripening in 18 months to orange-red with a variable pink waxy coating; they are spherical, diameter, and have three or six fused scales in 1–2 whorls, three of the scales with a single
seed. The seeds are dispersed when
birds eat the cones, digesting the fleshy scales and passing the hard seeds in their droppings. The
pollen cones are yellow, long, and fall soon after shedding their pollen in late winter or early spring.
Subspecies As to be expected from the wide range,
J. oxycedrus is very variable, and multiple subspecies have been recognised. resulting in the recognition of multiple species: •
Juniperus oxycedrus L. –
Western prickly juniper. Southwest Europe, in eastern Portugal and
Spain east to southern
France, northwest
Italy,
Corsica, and
Sardinia, and northwest Africa from Morocco east to
Tunisia. Leaves long (), narrow-based; cones smooth. •
Juniperus navicularis Gand. (syn.
J. oxycedrus subsp.
transtagana) –
Portuguese prickly juniper. Coastal southwest Portugal. Leaves short (); cones smooth. •
Juniperus deltoides R.P.Adams –
Eastern prickly juniper. Central Italy east to Iran and Israel. Leaves long (), broad-based; cones with raised scale edges. •
Juniperus macrocarpa (syn.
J. oxycedrus subsp.
macrocarpa) –
large-fruited juniper. Mediterranean coastal sands. Broader leaves ( wide), and larger cones ( wide). An additional variety or subspecies
J. oxycedrus var.
badia H.Gay (syn.
J. oxycedrus subsp.
badia (H.Gay) Debeaux) is distinguished on the basis of larger cones ( diameter), tinged purple when mature; it is described from northern Algeria, and also reported from Portugal and Spain. Other close relatives of
J. oxycedrus include
Juniperus brevifolia on the
Azores,
Juniperus cedrus on the
Canary Islands and
Juniperus formosana in eastern
Asia. ==Uses==