04/02/2026
Einir (Juniperus communis) is one of the few woody plants that occur naturally in Iceland. In a country where forests have almost disappeared and environmental conditions are exceptionally harsh, juniper has survived as a low, spreading shrub, well adapted to wind, cold, and poor soils. Icelandic botanists have long pointed to its special role in the native flora, emphasizing that this species was present on the island even before human settlement.
In folk tradition, juniper held an important place in household medicine. Ethnographic records collected in Icelandic archives show that infusions made from the berries were used for digestive complaints and conditions broadly described as bodily weakness. Twigs and needles were added to baths intended to relieve muscle and joint pain. Juniper smoke was also widely used. Burning the branches served to cleanse homes after illness, after the death of a household member, or following long absences. This was not disinfection in the modern sense, but rather an attempt to remove what was considered harmful or undesirable. Similar practices are known from other parts of northern Europe and fit well within the wider context of Nordic folk medicine.
Juniper also played a protective role. It was believed that branches placed near the entrance to a house could protect inhabitants from illness and misfortune. In Icelandic tradition, the boundary between healing and belief was fluid, and juniper belonged to the group of plants thought to be especially effective. It was not cultivated. It was gathered only from the wild, which reinforced the idea that its power came directly from nature.
For a long time, knowledge about juniper was based mainly on tradition. Only in recent years has the plant attracted greater attention from a scientific perspective. In June 2025, Icelandic public media reported the discovery of the oldest known living juniper in Iceland. The shrub was found in the northern part of the country, in the Mývatn area, during fieldwork conducted by botanist Dr. Paweł Wąsowicz. Its age was determined to be approximately 500 years based on dendrochronological analyses. The studies were carried out using minimally invasive methods in order to avoid damaging the plant.
This discovery changed previous assumptions about the longevity of plants in Iceland. Earlier, the oldest documented junipers were estimated to be around 280 years old. The newly identified specimen proved to be significantly older and became the oldest known living vascular plant on the island. Researchers point out that the extremely slow growth of juniper favors the preservation of clear annual growth rings, making it a valuable source of information about past climatic conditions in Iceland and the North Atlantic.
Although even older junipers are known from northern Scandinavia, the Icelandic specimen from the Mývatn area is of particular significance. It survived in conditions where most woody plants are unable to persist for long periods. Its history shows that in the Icelandic landscape, durability and the ability to adapt over long spans of time matter more than size or rapid growth.
