Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar

Full grown eastern red cedar tree in winter. Trunk is central and straight. Foliage is dark green and not dense but not sparse.

Eastern red cedar seed against a ruler. Seed is round, brown, and one eighth of an inch long.

Young Eastern Red Cedar. The needles are much smaller, and the foliage is much lighter in color

Photo of Cedar Apple Rust Fungus on an eastern red cedar tree. The fungus is a dull pink and shaped similarly to a pear. Rusty red spikes, each about an inch in length, cover the fungus. It's a bit alien looking and rather repulsive.

Juniperus virginiana branch with fruit. Fruit resemble blueberries in size and color, dull with a white coating. They are clustered close to the branch. Braided dark green needles are dense and close to the branch as well.

Juniperus virginiana bark. Bark is reddish brown in color, and peeling vertically in chunks.

New growth on young juniperus virginiana tree. needles are short and spiky, light blue green in color with a white coating.

General

Juniperus virginiana is a pioneer tree species frequently found in old fields, highway meridians and abandoned sites. Prefers drier sunny sites. It is a hardy tree that will survive both extreme temperatures and drought. It is appealing year round, and provides food and nesting cover for a variety of birds, and is a favorite of the Cedar Waxwing.

Plant Description

Eastern Red Cedar is an evergreen tree with a peeling red bark. When young, the tree will be narrower, and a lighter green; the tree will become darker and begin to fan out as it grows. Eastern red cedar has a red wood that is aromatic and easy to work with, and blue berrylike fruits in the fall.

Height (ft)
20-40

Spread (ft)
10-20

Soil moisture
Dry/Low Moisture

Soil types
Fine to Coarse

Wetland indicator
UPL

Shade tolerance
Intolerant, Full Shade

Bloom color
Green

Bloom period
Spring

Fall conspicuous
No

Anaerobic tolerance
Low

Drought tolerance
High

Salinity tolerance
Low

Self-Pollinating?
No

Range

Eastern Red Cedar is native to most of the central and eastern United States, and is common in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts state, in the Connecticut Valley in Vermont, and in southern New Hampshire and Maine.

Kartesz, J.T. 2024. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP) [website http://bonap.org/]

Additional Information

According to BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database, an infusion has been made to treat colds, the wood used to make fence posts and furniture and a compound decoction of the twigs to treat rheumatism. The berries have been crushed and used to flavor soup and meat.

Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar

General

Plant Description

Range

Additional Information

New England Wetland Plants

Hours of Operation: