Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), also called Eastern Redcedar.

Eastern redcedar is an evergreen, coniferous tree in the cypress family (Cupressaceae). This conifer is native to North America and grows from Maine south to Florida and west to South Dakota and Texas. The epithet is Latin for "of Virginia."

This juniper is easily grown in average, dry to moist, well-drained soils in full sun. In good conditions, it will grow to 30 to 40 feet in height and reach a width of 10 to 20 feet. It will tolerate a variety of soils and growing conditions, from swamps to dry, rocky ground. It can even grow on seemingly barren soils that few other plants can tolerate, although it may never grow bigger than a bush in those conditions. It prefers moist conditions but is intolerant of continuously wet soil. It only tolerates shade when it is extremely young. It has the best drought resistance of any conifer native to the eastern United States. This tree is easy to transplant and a tough, dependable tree—but considered weedy by many gardeners. It is highly salt tolerant. This colorful tree needs airy space to grow. Plant 12 to 24 feet apart.

Eastern red cedar has blue-green, overlapping, scale-like leaves at maturity, but young shoots may have spreading, needle-like leaves. The bark is red-brown in color and peels off in long, narrow, fibrous strips, often leaving ashy gray areas exposed. Light blue-green clusters of cones mature in late winter or early spring. Female (or predominantly female) trees produce small, round blue cones ("juniper berries") that mature in the fall and are beloved by cedar waxwings. Male trees make small pollen-producing cones. Pollen is wind-borne and released in large quantities.

Identification

The Eastern red cedar has dark blue-green, scale-like, shiny, glandular foliage in a 4 rank arrangement. The foliage may turn brown-green in winter. They are 1/16" in length and lay opposite or in whorls of 3. They are small, oval, and have a glandular depression on the back. Young leaves are awl-shaped, thin, prickly, needle-like, and 1/4" long. Cultivars of this species often retain better foliage color in winter.

Its gray to reddish-brown bark exfoliates in thin, long shreddy strips on mature trees.

No flowers

Male cones are yellow and occur at branch tips. Female cones are blue, frosted-looking, and abundant. Cones are round, berry-like (1/4" in diameter), and ripen in fall of the first year. They have a white waxy covering. Displays from September to February.

Habitat and cultural conditions

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours). Soil texture: Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage; Moist; Occasionally Dry; Occasionally Wet.

Uses and significance

The heartwood is light brown and aromatic, in contrast to the white sapwood, and is commonly used for cedar chests. The wood is also often used to make fence posts and rails, as it is naturally rot-resistant. It also repels insects, lending to its appeal for use in clothing storage and pet bedding.

The heartwood is light brown and aromatic and is commonly used for cedar chests. Wood is often used to make fence posts and rails as it is naturally rot resistant. This plant was also used by Native Americans to make flutes, furniture, fragrance, mats, incense, and spices. They also used it medicinally.

Provides winter cover. This plant supports Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) and imperial moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae. Adult Juniper Hairstreak butterflies feed on various flower nectars. Songbirds and small mammals eat the cones.

Insects, diseases, and other problems

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This tree is susceptible to twig blight and scale. Bagworms are also a problem. Mites may occur. It shares with apple trees the susceptibility to a rust fungus called Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae. This fungus causes "cedar apples" on red cedar twigs and dark leaf spots on apple leaves.

Cultivars / varieties

• 'Canaertii'
• 'Glauca Compacta'
• 'Globosa' — Scale-like foliage
• 'Grey Owl' — Unusual thread-like silvery blue-grey appressed needles
• 'Manhattan Blue'
• 'Silver Spreader' — Uncommon greenish silver foliage
• 'Taylor' — Narrow form
• var. silicicola

Plant details

Further reading

• N.C. Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Juniperus virginiana — primary source for the plant details above