Juniper berry Juniper berry A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially "Juniperus communis", are used as a spice, particularly in European cuisine, and also give gin its distinctive flavour. Juniper berries may be the only spice derived from conifers. All juniper species grow berries, but some are considered too bitter to eat. In addition to "J. communis", other edible species include "Juniperus drupacea", "Juniperus phoenicea",
Daba Mountains evergreen forests contain oaks and arboreal mints, and higher elevations support pines including the Chinese red pine and Chinese white pine. Some of the other significant tree species include the dawn redwood, dove tree, Tetracentron, Cercidiphyllum japonicum, Emmenopterys henryi, and Eucommia ulmoides. Human industry in the region has long been dependent on logging and harvesting for medicines. A major protected area of forests is the Shennongjia National Nature Reserve in Hubei. Daba Mountains evergreen forests The Daba Mountains evergreen forests are a Global 200 endangered ecoregion located on the Daba Mountains in China. The forests are part of temperate broadleaf and mixed