Juniperus phoenicea is a large shrub or small tree reaching 5–8 metres (16–26 feet) tall, with a trunk up to 1–2 m (31⁄2 – 61⁄2 ft) in diameter and a rounded or irregular crown. The bark, which can be peeled in strips, is dark grayish-brown.

The Phoenician juniper easily distinguishes from the Common Juniper (Juniperus communis) and from the Prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus) as these have needle-like and prickly leaves also when adult, the first with aromatic glaucous-pruinose berries of violetish colour and leaves with only one white stripe above, the second due to the brownish or red-brown insipid berries and leaves with two white stripes above.