Juniperus cedrus

Slow-growing, medium-sized evergreen tree that can be 15 m tall. It has a thick trunk (sometimes up to 1 m in diameter) and a globose crown that may become flag-shaped because of the wind. The young twigs are fine and pendulous, giving this tree a 'weeping' appearance. The bark is greyish brown or reddish, cracked, and peels off in longitudinal strips. The entire plant contains essential oils and is aromatic. The leaves are acicular (needle-like), less than 2 cm in length and 2 mm in width, hard, with a sharp tip. They are dark green in colour and have two white bands on the upper side. They are arranged in threes, like a three-pointed star or the blades of a fan. In general, there are separate male and female plants (it is a dioecious species). The males form very small cones that produce pollen and the females have false fruits known as galbuli. These are somewhat fleshy and almost spherical, around 1.5 cm in diameter, and are covered in a dusty- or waxy-looking layer (bloom). They are bluish green at first, becoming reddish chestnut in colour when they ripen, in the second year. Each fruit contains up to 3 seeds.