Juniperus communis is a thickly branched evergreen bush. Its form varies from flat and creeping to erect and narrow and can aggregate into quite a dense mass (Tansley, 1939). Occasionally it may grow to a single stemmed tree up to 10m high (Vedel and Lange, 1978). It is characterised by its berry-like cones, which unlike conifers, do not have scales that are woody and separate, but the scales grow together and are juicy and fleshy. The bark is thin and can be grey-brown to red-brown in colour and with age begins to peel off in small flakes. The leaves are either needle-like or scale-like. The upper side of the tapering needles are bluish and the underside a darker green (Vedel and Lange, 1978).