Plants evergreen trees or shrubs, usually dioecious. Leaves needle-shaped in whorls of 3 or paired or, when adult, with scalelike, opposite leaves. Male strobili of several rounded scales, each bearing 2-6 pollen-sacs. Cones of 2-8 fleshy scales, each bearing 1 ovule, mature cones somewhat succulent, with 1-few seeds with woody seed coats.
Juniperus includes about 50 species and is almost completely confined to the northern hemisphere where its range extends from arid areas to high aline areas and the arctic tundra.
