Juniperus oxycedrus is a species of juniper belonging to Cupressaceae family. Plant is native across the Mediterranean region from Morocco and Portugal, to southern France, east to Syria, Lebanon and Israel, also at western Iran and Iraq. Growing on a variety of rocky sites from sea level up to 2.200 m altitude. The etymological root of the binomial name Juniperus is derived from the old Latin name for the Juniper tree. Oxycedrus is derived from the Greek oxys ‘sharp’ and cedrus ‘cedar’. They are usually dioecious, with separate male and female plants.

There are four commonly accepted subspecies of the Cade Juniper: Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus has the largest range set in the inlands as well as in the coasts of the species distribution range, Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa (the broader leaves 2–3 mm wide and larger cones 12–18 mm wide), commonly throughout the coasts of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia in the inlands of North Algeria and Iberian Peninsula (larger cones 10–13 mm, tinged purple when mature), Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. transtagana in lowlands and coasts of central Portugal and south-west Spain. In the Flora of Turkey two subspecies are reported: Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. oxycedrus and Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa.

Juniperus oxycedrus  is an evergreen shrub-tree that produced a variable shape, spreading shrub 2–3 metres tall, or forming a small erect tree 10–15 m tall. Often multi stemmed, rounded crown of spreading and ascending branches. Bark of the plant is smooth, light grey coloured. 3 angled twigs are green, turning yellowish brown in later years. The needle-like leaves are 5-20 mm long and 1–2 mm broad, with a double white stomatal band (split by a green midrib) on the inner surface.

The dioecious flowers of the plant are inconspicuous, appearing in late winter. The female seed cones are axillary, berry like, up to 12 mm across, are initially green in colour ripening to an orange red within 18 months. When they become fully mature, colour change to glaucous, it contains, 2-3 broad-ovate seeds. The seeds are dispersed when birds eat the cones, digesting the fleshy scales and passing the hard seeds in their droppings. The male pollen cones are up to 3 mm across and yellow colour and fall soon after shedding their pollen in late winter or early spring.

Cade Juniper prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil. Propagation is done by seed or by semi-hardwood cuttings. The plant is cold hardy at least up to -20 ˚C. May be susceptible to  aphids, juniper scale and caterpillars also diseases like phytophthora, canker and honey fungus.

Use in Landscape: The Cade Juniper can be used to producing informal evergreen screen in seashores as it is, salt and drought tolerant.  May be used, in cottage and informal gardens, in city and courtyard gardens, coastal gardens, borders and beds. The landscape architect may find Juniperus oxycedrus useful in informal locations, once established it will tolerate drought conditions.

Importance and Usage: Cade Juniper’s wood is resistant and hard, highly valued for making furniture and other carpentry items. Cade oil is the essential oil, obtained through destructive distillation of the wood of this shrub. It is a dark, aromatic oil with a strong smoky smell which is used in some cosmetics and skin treatment drugs, as well as incense.  It has antiseptic and antiparasitic properties. Rectified cade oil is also used as a fragrance component in soaps, detergents, creams, lotions and perfumes. Juniperus false fruits, female cones – improperly called “berries” – are used as a spice, mainly in Northern European and particularly Scandinavian cuisine to impart a sharp, clear flavour to meat dishes. Cade oil has, on rare occasions, caused severe allergic reactions in infants. Ecologically, berries cones are attractive to some birds.