An evergreen shrub growing to 4m by 4m at a slow rate. The leaves are of two forms, juvenile needle-like leaves 5-10 mm long, and adult scale-leaves 1-2 mm long on slender shoots 0.8-1 mm thick. The cones are berry-like, 5-9 mm in diameter, blue-black with a whitish waxy bloom, and contain 1-2 seeds; they are mature in about 18 months. The male cones are 2-4 mm long, and shed their pollen in early spring.

Abortifacient, diuretic, emetic, powerfully emmenagogue, irritant and anthelmintic (young shoots)

Sabina. Savin. Juniperus sabina. | Henriette's Herbal
Plants For A Future

1,8-cineole, alpha-pinene, alpha-terpinene, camphene, carvacrol, cedrol, d-limonene, delta-3-carene, delta-cadinol, elemol, gallic acid, gamma-terpinene, geraniol, myrcene, perillyl alcohol, podophyllotoxin, terpinolene, thujone (plant)

The plant is rarely used internally but is useful as an ointment and dressing to blisters etc in order to promote discharge. The plant has been much used in amenorrhea and atonic menorrhagia, colicky pains, menstrual headaches and occasionally as a remedy for worms. It can be taken internally and externally, in chronic gout and chronic rheumatism. The powdered leaves are also used in the treatment of warts, indolent or gangrenous ulcers, psoriasis, and tinea capitis

Use with great caution and never during pregnancy.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 652-653, CRC Press July 2002.