Also known as the Prickly Juniper, the Cade tree is a conical evergreen shrub. Its essential oil, with its smoky aroma, is a popular additive to incense. It is also used as a home herbal remedy for skin treatments and cosmetics.
The tree's essential oil is dark and strongly-scented. Made from the tree's striped gray or reddish bark, Cade essential oil is a popular treatment for many different skin conditions for humans as well as animals. This is due to the oil's highly antiseptic nature. Some of these treatments include eczema, prurigo, and psoriasis.
Shampoos and other beauty care products are often made from the oil as well. A popular skin treatment for acne, it may also be used to treat boils. Weeping eczema may be treated with cade oil. Juniper oil may also be used to create an at-home sauna for treating oily or greasy skin.
Juniper oil can also be made from the tree's fresh berries. Translucent and colorless, the oil has a peppery, pine-scented scent. Caution should be used when handling juniper oil, as it may contain turpentine. This type of juniper oil is useful as a diuretic, antiseptic, and anti-rheumatic agent. It can also be effective in treating parasites, water retention, and other stomach problems.
Highly resistant to rot, Cade bark is often cut and used for making stakes. The wood is also used in charcoal production. A fragrant firewood, Cade wood may be used for carving or making pencils. Juniper berries may be cooked with meats or traditional sauerkraut dishes as a mild marinade. Cakes, wines, and liqueurs, as well as clothing and textile dyes, may also be flavored with the fruit.
Native to the Mediterranean region, the Cade tree is usually found on mountain slopes or in pine forests. The shrub may grow in areas from sea level up to 5,250 feet (1600 meters) in altitude. Also known as the Prickly Cedar, Sharp Cedar, Cade Juniper, and Spanish Cedar, the Cade can be found in France, Israel, Portugal, Iran, and Morocco.
Shiny, scale-like needles, which feature double white stripes, cover the prickly tree. These are a third of an inch to one inch (one to three centimeters) long, arranged in whorls of three, and feature very spiny tips. The tree itself features small, waxy green flowers, pear-shaped cones, and can grow from three to 40 feet (one to 12 meters) in height.
