Cupressaceae

Common juniper

Juniperus communis L.

Family: Cupressaceae
Genus: Juniperus

Pets and kids

CatsNot sure
DogsNot sure
KidsMildly toxic

Why

Cats: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Dogs: Not sure

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Kids: Mildly toxic

Mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: volatile oils including thujone.

Signs: diarrhea.

Juniperus communis var. communis (Common Juniper) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Common juniper: zelfgemaakte foto van Jeneverbes; half september nl:en:Image:Jeneverbes.jpg nl:nn:Fil:Jeneverbes.jpg — Photo: Rasbak at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Is Common juniper safe for cats, dogs and kids?

Is Common juniper safe for cats?

We found no reliable source on this plant for cats, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Is Common juniper safe for dogs?

We found no reliable source on this plant for dogs, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with your vet.

Is Common juniper safe for kids?

No. Our sources call Common juniper mildly toxic to young children. Toxic principle: volatile oils including thujone. Signs: diarrhea.

Juniperus communis var. communis (Common Juniper) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension

Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.

See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.

Similar names and close relatives

A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.

Chinese juniper Juniperus chinensissimilar nameCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure

Common names

By language (89)

Albanian: Dëllinja
Arabic: عرعر شائع, سرو جبلي, شث, شيزي, عرعار, عرعر, عرعر فينقي
Armenian: Գիհի ցածրաաճ
arz: عرعر شائع
azb: عادی آردیج
Azerbaijani: Adi ardıc
ba: Артыш
bar: Kranawitt, Gemeiner Wacholder, Krammetsbaam, Kranawittn, Kranewit, Kranewitt, Kranewitten, Kronabit
Basque: Ipar-ipuru, Ipar-ipurua, Ipar-orre
Belarusian: Ядловец звычайны
Bosnian: Smreka
Breton: Jenevreg-boutin
Bulgarian: Обикновена хвойна, Синя хвойна
Cantonese: 歐刺柏
Catalan: Ginebre comú, Ginebre, Ginebrer
Chinese: 刺柏, 杜松子, 欧洲刺柏
Corsican: Ghjinepara
Croatian: Obična borovica
csb: Zwëczajny jałówc
cv: Уртăш йывăççи
Czech: Jalovec obecný
Danish: Almindelig ene, Ene, Enebær, Enebærbusk
Dutch: Jeneverbes, Gewone jeneverbes, Jeneverboom, Jeneverstruik
English: Common juniper, Ground juniper, Juniper, Mountain juniper
Esperanto: Ordinara junipero
Estonian: Harilik kadakas, Kadakas
Faroese: Baraldur
Finnish: Kataja, Kotikataja
French: Genévrier commun, Baie de genièvre, Baie de génévrier, Genevrier commun, Genièvre, Genévrier
frr: Algemian wacholder, Machandelbuum
Galician: Xenebreiro, Cimbro, Xenebro
Georgian: Ჩვეულებრივი ღვია
German: Gemeiner Wacholder, Gewöhnlicher Wacholder, Heide-Wacholder, Machandelbaum, Wacholder
Greek: Άρκευθος
Hebrew: ערער מצוי
hsb: Holanski jałorc
Hungarian: Közönséges boróka
Icelandic: Einir, Einitré
io: Ordinara junipero
Irish: Aiteal
Italian: Ginepro
Japanese: セイヨウネズ, ジュニパー
kab: Ayfez
kl: Kakillarnaq
koi: Верӧс
Korean: 두송
lah: عام صنوبر
Latvian: Parastais kadiķis, Paeglis
Lithuanian: Paprastasis kadagys
Luxembourgish: Wakelter
Macedonian: Обична смрека, Модра смрека
mzn: اربز
nap: Inipr
nds: Jeneverbees, Jeneawerbeaze, Jeneverbes
Norwegian Bokmål: Einer, Brake, Brakekratt, Brisk, Bruse, Einebær, Einebærbusk, Einerbusk
Norwegian Nynorsk: Eine, Brake, Brisk, Bruse, Einer, Sprake
Occitan: Genibrièr
os: Хуымæтæджы æхсæлы
pcd: Éjnévrier conmun
Persian: پیرو
Polish: Jałowiec pospolity
Portuguese: Zimbro-rasteiro, Genebreiro, Junípero comum, Junípero-comum, Zimbro anão, Zimbro comum, Zimbro rasteiro, Zimbro vulgar
Romanian: Ienupăr
Romansh: Ginaiver cumin
Russian: Можжевельник обыкновенный, Thuiaecarpus juniperinus
se: Reatká, Gaskkas
Serbian: Клека
Serbian (Latin): Kleka
sgs: Ieglis
sjd: Кэскас
Slovak: Borievka obyčajná
Slovenian: Navadni brin
sma: Gasngese
smj: Gaskas
smn: Riätká
sms: Kõõskâs
Spanish: Enebro común, Enebral, Enebro, Enebro comun, Enebro enano, Enebro rastrero, Ginebro, Nebro
stq: Wacholder
Sundanese: Juniper beri
Swedish: Enbuske, En, Enbuskar, Enbärsbuske, Kikbär
Tatar: Артыш, Артыш агачы
Thai: จูนิเปอร์ธรรมดา
Turkish: Adi ardıç
udm: Кавказысь сусыпу
Ukrainian: Ялівець звичайний, Звичайний ялівець, Яловець звичайний
vro: Katai
Walloon: Franc pectî
Welsh: Merywen
wuu: 刺柏

Synonyms

Juniperus albanica Pénzes ex Carrière
Juniperus argaea Balansa ex Parl.
Juniperus borealis Salisb.
Juniperus communis f. aurea (G.Nicholson) Rehder
Juniperus communis f. compressa (Carrière) Rehder
Juniperus communis f. crispa Browicz & Ziel.
Juniperus communis f. oblonga-pendula (Loudon) Beissn.
Juniperus communis f. pendula (Carrière) Formánek
Juniperus communis f. pendulina Kuphaldt
Juniperus communis f. pungens Velen.
Juniperus communis f. stricta (Carrière) Rehder
Juniperus communis f. suecica (Mill.) Beissn.
Juniperus communis subsp. brevifolia (Sanio) Pénzes
Juniperus communis subsp. cupressiformis Vict. & Sennen ex Pénzes
Juniperus communis subsp. pannonica Pénzes
Juniperus communis var. arborescens Gaudin
Juniperus communis var. aurea G.Nicholson
Juniperus communis var. brevifolia Sanio
Juniperus communis var. compressa Carrière
Juniperus communis var. erecta Pursh
Juniperus communis var. fastigiata Parl.
Juniperus communis var. hispanica Endl.
Juniperus communis var. montana Neilr.
Juniperus communis var. oblonga Loudon
Juniperus communis var. oblonga-pendula Loudon
Juniperus communis var. pendens Sudw.
Juniperus communis var. pendula Carrière
Juniperus communis var. pendula-aurea Sénécl.
Juniperus communis var. reflexa Parl.
Juniperus communis var. stricta Carrière
Juniperus communis var. suecica (Mill.) Aiton
Juniperus communis var. variegata-aurea Carrière
Juniperus communis var. vulgaris Aiton
Juniperus compressa Carrière
Juniperus cracovia K.Koch
Juniperus dealbata Loudon
Juniperus fastigiata Knight
Juniperus hibernica Lodd. ex Loudon
Juniperus hispanica Booth ex Endl.
Juniperus interrupta H.L.Wendl. ex Endl.

and 9 more.

Flowers

Flower colour: yellow (USDA PLANTS Database)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Alaska: native, Canada: native, Greenland: native, Lower 48 states: native, St. Pierre and Miquelon: native

Photos

Photo: Rasbak at Dutch Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Xemenendura, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Bertrand Chambin, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Diana Milchenko, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: veronique poullain, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Ivan Polishchuk, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Alex Gonzalez, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Béatrice MIGNON, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: claudioaroldi1976, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Yves Legault, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: andrea.ba, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: Daniel Bourget, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF

More in Juniperus

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.