About Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus
Juniperus oxycedrus is highly variable in growth form, ranging from a spreading shrub 2–3 metres (6+1⁄2–10 feet) tall to a small erect tree 10–15 m (33–49 ft) tall. It bears needle-like leaves arranged in whorls of three. The leaves are green, 5–20 millimetres (1⁄4–3⁄4 inch) long and 1–2 mm (1⁄32–3⁄32 in) broad, with a double white stomatal band split by a green midrib on the inner leaf surface. This taxon is usually dioecious, meaning it produces male and female reproductive structures on separate individual plants. Its seed cones are berry-like, starting green and ripening over 18 months to orange-red with a variable pink waxy coating. The cones are spherical, measure 7–12 mm (1⁄4–1⁄2 in) in diameter, and have three or six fused scales arranged in 1–2 whorls; three of these scales each hold a single seed. Seeds are dispersed when birds eat the cones: birds digest the fleshy cone scales and excrete the hard, intact seeds in their droppings. The pollen cones are yellow, 2–3 mm (1⁄16–1⁄8 in) long, and fall off shortly after shedding their pollen in late winter or early spring. Cade oil, the essential oil produced by destructive distillation of this plant's wood, is a dark aromatic oil with a strong smoky scent. It is used in some cosmetics, traditional skin treatment medications, and incense. In rare cases, cade oil has caused severe allergic reactions in infants.
