Eastern Red Cedar

Scientific name

Juniperus viginiana

Description

The Eastern Red Cedar is a medium-large sized tree species which produces scale-like evergreen leaves on mature trees that grow to 10-15m. The leaves are needles and are blue-green colored, paired, and grow tight to the twig. This tree's twigs are light green to reddish-brown, slender, and four-sided. Eastern Red Cedar is a dioecious species with separate male and female trees. Male trees produce yellow cones that are 3 mm long, while females produce berry-like cones that are 3-6 mm round, deep blue, and covered in a whitish powder. These berry-like fruits ripen at the beginning of autumn, and are a valuable food source for birds and small mammals. The Eastern Red Cedar produces a single trunk covered in bark, which is brown-grey and exfoliates into strips. This species is branched near the base, produces a conical to cylindrical crown, and has a root system that is fibrous and moderately deep. This tree species is long lived and can reach 150-350 years old.

Planting conditions

Grows on a wide variety of soils but best on deep, well-drained, slightly alkaline soils. Requires sun or partial sun and is shade-intolerant.

Details

• Plant height:
  • Any
  • Over 3m
• Moisture level:
  • Dry
  • Normal
  • Moist
  • Drought Tolerant
• Light conditions:
  • Full sun
  • Partial sun
• Soil type:
  • Sandy
  • Loamy
• pH:
  • Normal
• Depth:
  • Potted
  • Bareroot
• Eco Zone:
  • 6a
  • 6b
  • 7a
  • 7b
• Plant type:
  • Tree
• Height:
  • 10-15m
• Spread:
  • 5m