Juniperus chinensis is the name for a plant more commonly known as Chinese Juniper.
Juniper is a member of the cypress family, and that there are between 50-65 species of juniper. These species are widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere from the arctic to Central America, and into parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Junipers are evergreen plants. Juvenile plants produce leaves that are needle-like in appearance and sometimes quite prickly, while mature plants produce leaves which can be described as scale-like.
Juniper berries (actually cones) are used in cooking, especially in the making of sauces for meat. They are also a major ingredient in gin, the name of which comes from the Dutch word for juniper, genever. Juniper was used widely by Native Americans for food, fuel, and even for jewelry. Some tribes used juniper berries to make necklaces that were said to repel ghosts and bad spirits.
-Information and photos from Wikipedia.