Fauna
Plant

Phoenicean Juniper

Juniperus phoenicea

Also known as Phoenician Juniper, Arâr, Red-Berry Juniper

Phoenicean junipers are long-lived evergreen shrubs or small trees adapted to the dry, rocky soils of coastal cliffs and Mediterranean scrublands. Their dense scale-like foliage ranges from deep green to glaucous grey, accompanied by berry-like seed cones that ripen to a warm reddish-brown over two years. Deep taproots anchor these resilient conifers against coastal gales while protecting arid hillslopes from severe erosion.

EvergreenDrought-TolerantConifer
Phoenicean Juniper reference1 / 7
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil minerals
Predators
  • Wild goats
  • Scale insects
  • Wood-boring beetles
ThreatsCoastal urban development, frequent wildfires, overgrazing
HabitatsMediterranean scrub, coastal cliffs, rocky hillsides, sand dunes
Life spanUp to 1,000+ years
Classification
  1. FamilyCupressaceae
  2. SpeciesJuniperus phoenicea
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Wild cones and berries have toxic look-alikes; never ingest wild plant parts based on app identification alone.
Why it is dangerous
Contains volatile essential oils including sabinene and thujone, which cause gastrointestinal and kidney distress if consumed.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognized by dense scale-like evergreen leaves and fleshy reddish-brown female seed cones.
What to do
Observe foliage and cones on the branch without harvesting, and prevent pets from chewing wood or berries.
Responsible observation
  • Observe foliage: Examine the tiny, scale-like leaves closely paired along rigid, upright twigs.
  • Check the cones: Look for hard, berry-like female cones that shift from yellow-green to glossy reddish-brown.
  • Respect fragile soils: Stick to established trails on coastal cliffs to prevent soil erosion around deep root systems.
Related species
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