Juniper is a woody shrub in the conifer or cypress family that is native to North America, Europe and Asia.
Although the fruit of this plant are commonly called berries, they are actually small cones that take nearly two years to mature and change color from green to purplish-black.
Juniper berry is used as a spice and is particularly popular in Scandinavian cuisine, where it is used to flavor wild game.
The slightly crushed berries are used typically used to flavor game meats, bread stuffing and other savory foods.
Juniper berry is also used to flavor gin.
