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A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales called a galbulus, which gives it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice, particularly in European cuisine, and also give gin its distinctive flavor.
There is almost no light situation (including, as here, overcast skies) that can really diminish the beautiful contrast of the dusky blue berries against the brilliant deep green of the branches.
This is a picture of the berries from an eastern redcedar which is a species of juniper found in the Eastern United States. I took this picture on the South Tract of the Patuxent Research Refuge near Bowie, Maryland.
Laurel Quad
Canyonlands National Park, Needles District, Utah. Plant life is very hard here, with winter snow and summer drought. Juniper is the only tree that prospers, and this is relative. Juniper is unique in the sense that when the going gets tough it sacrifices branches it cannot sustain to adjust to the availability of water. But many junipers do not make it in the end. Due to the dry conditions and the resinous wood, the dead trees take forever to decompose, leaving the desert littered with oddly shaped dead trees.
This little wind and weather blasted tree is evidence that these barren hills were once covered by ancient woodland. In the background there is commercial forestry, but the hills and heather clad moorland where this little remnant grows is treeless and deliberately kept that way for grouse shooting. There are a few little stands of Scots Pine hiding away in odd corners, and a few birch trees line some of the burns that drain these hills in hidden valleys. These hills are crying out for rewilding and re-afforestation with native trees. Instead there is "peatland restoration" which in reality is just tinkering for grant generation. It does nothing much to redress the balance for the road building and wind turbine building going on up there. Thousands of tons of carbon capturing peat is being dug out and replaced with concrete foundations, again for the subsidies. Our wild places are just indiustrial sites, when they should be nature rich forests and an environment that is sustainable by nature. They should not be kept as a rich mans playground, where vast sums of money are spent to kill our wildlife for pleasure.
Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 50 optic and a macro filter.
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The Rio Grand Valley and Sierra Ladron from the western foothills of the Manzano Mountains - New Mexico, USA
The often maligned Texas cedar tree is actually a juniper identified to the world by a man named Ashe. The original old-growth trees are actually quite extraordinary and useful. They often grow very large, tall and straight and produce an amazingly beautiful and durable hardwood used for everything from fence posts to exquisite mantel pieces and table tops. They were systematically cleared from Texas land to promote grass and cattle grazing, only to return rapidly as a nearly impenetrable second-growth thicket that no one likes.
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From a recent trip to the Painted Hills. I have been there now 5 times in the last couple years hoping for some colored sunset or sunrise light and nothing to date. I do have some good images from here but I always get blue sky, once again this was the case. Although not my favorite image from here I do think it gives a pretty good sense of the place. This was one of the few breaks we had. Most of the time was surprisingly wet. I do love the smell of damp juniper down there, it feels refreshing filling up the lungs! Thanks in advance for all comments.