JUNIPER

Plant a juniper by your doorstep. Any witches who want to do you harm will be forced to stop and count all the tiny leaves before entering. The hope is they will become so frustrated that they will fly off to a juniper-less abode.

During the flight into Egypt, Mary hid Jesus under a juniper. As a reward, the tree was blessed with the ability to send evil flying. Elijah’s canopy, in the Old Testament, was of Juniperus communis.

Roman emperors and generals planted life-index junipers. If they withered, an early death (or assassination) was predicted.

Smoke from juniper fires drove away demons and nasty germs. Branches were kept smoldering continually in plague-stricken villages. In Ireland and Scotland, it was used as a protection against evil.

The air in Swiss schoolrooms was sanitized and sweetened by throwing the berries onto red-hot coals. In England, it was often used on floors to sweeten the room and repel vermin.

Never tell a secret under a juniper tree, as they are terrible gossips – nearly as bad as pines.

In one British legend, the junipers, who were bored and wishing something would happen, spotted a man with a stolen sack of corn. He took it to the miller, his partner in crime. The junipers immediately spread this tale so widely that even the police got to hear of it. They arrested thief and miller. Then, those gossipy trees had even more to talk about.

In America, the Cheyenne used it in ceremonies to banish fear of thunder. The Navajo burned it to create luck smoke for hunters, while Kitasoo rubbed sprigs on their backs to ensure good fortune.

Horse breeders made a tonic from the leaf tips; it made sure the mare became pregnant during the stallion’s visit. Conversely, Juniperus sabina was used in abortifacient drugs in 19th century America.

The berries, which give gin its distinctive flavor, are actually small cones. When crushed, they exude a cedar-like aroma. They have long been used in folk medicine to treat rheumatism, kidney and bladder disorders, and indigestion.

In modern herbal medicine, juniper is noted for its diuretic and antiseptic properties.

Together with yew and Scots pine, juniper is one of only three native conifers in the British Isles. If conservation action isn’t taken soon, it may be extinct there within the next 50 years.

Lastly, felling a juniper brings death in the family within a year. Keep the junipers up, and the witches out.

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.