Genévrier
The botanical kind of the genévriers , name scientific Juniperus , family of the Cupressacées, comprises a great number of species, “rigid” varieties with the prickly needles and “flexible” varieties with the foliage in scales.
Of origin American, Asian, African and European, this tree usually reaches 4 to 15 m in height in nature, and even 25 to 30 m for certain species. It supports the grounds poor, possibly limestones, sandy and dry, up to 4500 m of altitude.
Certain species of genévrier can live more than 1000 years.
Origin of the name: of Latin juniperus , itself étymologiquement little clearly. An assumption would make it come from the Celt gen (“bush”), and prus (“bitter”).
Botanical characteristics
The kind Juniperus is characterized by very particular cones, called “Galbule S”, comprising scales more or less completely welded between them. Many species are Dioïque S, in spring, the male feet carry small cones to the armpit of the sheets of the previous year. The three ovules, with the armpit of the higher scales of the branch, emit a drop micropylaire collecting pollen.
The flowers are appeared as very small Chaton S to the armpit of sheets about the middle of young branches.
The sheets characterize two kinds of genévriers:
- Juniperus sect. Juniperus : those with pointed sheets, out of needles, the such common Genévrier and the Genévrier cade.
- Juniperus sect. Sabina : those with sheets in scales, the such thuriferous Genévrier and the Genévrier de Phénicie.
The bark is streaked gray brownish. The branches leave as of the foot the trunk.
The genévriers produce green bays (“galbules”) which transfer with blue, with brown or with the black with maturity.
Principal species
- Juniperus chinensis - Genévrier of China
- Juniperus communis - common Genévrier
- Juniperus drupacea - Genévrier of Syria
- Juniperus excelsa - Greek Genévrier
- Juniperus horizontalis - Genévrier crawling or horizontal Genévrier
- Juniperus occidentalis - Western Genévrier
- Juniperus oxycedrus - Genévrier cade or Oxycèdre
- Juniperus phoenicea - Genévrier de Phénicie
- Juniperus will procera - Genévrier of Africa
- Juniperus recurva - Genévrier of the Himalayas
- Juniperus rigida - rigid Genévrier
- Juniperus sabina - Genévrier Sabine
- Juniperus sibirica - dwarf Genévrier, Genévrier of Siberia (ex- Juniperus communis subsp. chick )
- Juniperus squamata - scaly Genévrier
- Juniperus scopulorum - Genévrier of Rock the
- Juniperus will thurifera - thuriferous Genévrier
- Juniperus virginiana - Genévrier of Virginia or red Cedar
History
The genévrier was an appreciated plant of the old Greeks and Romains. The latter used the Huile of cade, obtained by heating the wood of the genévrier: it was used to wash deaths.
In the Antiquity and with the the Middle Ages, the genévrier was used like Panacée, its Fumigation S was famous disinfecting (in particular used in the streets to fight the epidemics of Peste and Choléra) and the “wine of juniper” had diuretic virtues.
A legend claims that which will crunch each day a bay of genévrier will be saved by the disease.
Use
In the food
The Tanin S which the bays contain form an appreciated spice of the hunters because it facilitates the digestion of game and fatty meats and raises sauerkraut and the aroma of fish.
The bays also enter the composition of the Alcool of juniper, and that of the gin English and the Aquavit.
In kitchen, the crushed bays of genévrier use the composition of the " calf kidneys to the liègeoise". Also add some bays during the cooking of sauerkraut, you will refine the taste thus of it.
Medicinal properties
Only the common Genévrier ( Juniperus communis ) and the Genévrier cade ( Juniperus oxycedrus ) are edible.
The bays, the starts-up but especially the cones, prepared out of infusion, have effects diuretic, stomachic and digestive. They would have been used against the Asthme.
More than one treatment of difficult digestions and intestinal gases, the bays of juniper are added on suspicion during the preparation of a little heavy dishes in order to facilitate their digestion.
An improper use of the genévrier can cause renal disorders, so it should not be used during the pregnancies.
Museum
With Hasselt, Belgium you can find the Museum of National Juniper
External bonds
Genévrier of Lebanon
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