Juniperus+communis




 * __Juniperus communis: "Gold Totem Pole"__**

//Historical Origins:// The woody plant hails from the Old World Asia region, and today can be found from North America, to the Arctic South, and over into Europe and Asia. It is the most widespread conifer in the world. No exact date can be placed on the plant's first origin. Juniper forests used to be very common in ancient times, and roaming tribes of people would use them to build shelter, cook food, and burn the wood for fire. The plant produces a bitter berry that is used by various different cultures for food preparation and decoration.

//Cultural Significance:// This plant has varied uses across many distinct cultures; in Ireland, it's considered one of the most established shrubs in the countries history. Throughout Europe, the plant is used widely for craft making, specifically food containers and utensils. For culinary purposes, the juniper berry is well known for its bitter tastes, and is commonly used to flavor meats and sauces. The cones themselves are used to flavor gin, and the word gin is actually derived from the French word for "juniper berry." Finnish ale also contains juniper as a key ingredient. The plant has multiple historic medicinal uses as well. Native Americans used juniper berries for urinary tract infections, and combined with Berberis root bark, it also had use in treating diabetes. Western American tribes used the berries as a female contraceptive, and greek physician Dioscorides mentioned its contraceptive use in his //De Materia Medica// written before 100 AD. In total, the juniper species has a plethora of medicinal and home uses.

//Cultivation in U.S.:// Often used ornamentally in landscaping and horticultural trade, juniperus communis is a hardy plant able to grow in poor-quality soil and able to withstand harsh environmental conditions such as drought and heavy winds. Once mature, juniperus communis requires little in the way of care and maintenance. The Juniper plant is mostly cultivated in the United States in gold cone form, thus comes its name "Gold Totem Pole." It can also be seen without columns, and that form is named "Golden Schnapps." The plant's first documented cultivation use in a garden dates back to 1560 in Europe. It should be planted in late Spring or early Fall for best growth results.

//Cultural Connection:// Because this plant has so many historical medicinal uses, and especially within the Native American culture, I think some fantastic cultural connections could be made with American Indians and European medieval history. Also, because the plant has such a widespread habitat range, there are countless cultural possibilities that could be made with different countries/populations across the world. The plant itself could be the topic for learning with the medicine focus, or other human cultures could be the highlight when looking at the plant's large habitat range.


 * __Sources:__**


 * __@http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/agpc/doc/GBASE/data/pf000461.htm__**


 * __@http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/juncom/all.html__**


 * __@http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_communis__**