Red Cedar is a gorgeous tree throughout the seasons, but is admired the most in the fall, because of the blue berries that are produced.
Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
How does a coniferous tree get ready for a date?
- They spruce themselves up!
Did you know?
- The wood is often used for paneling, chests, and fence posts
- Called, “Pencil Cedar” because it was used to make pencils until less expensive woods and synthetic materials replaced pencil cedar
- Native American tribes used parts of the tree for incense in purification and ritual
- The wood has a distinct and tell-tale scent: the wood is commonly used in closets and chests to repel moths and other insects
Common Names:
- Red Cedar
- Eastern Red Cedar
Wildlife Benefits:
- Deer feed on the twigs and leaves
- Numerous birds, like the Cedar Waxwing, eat the berries
- Raccoons, squirrels, and other mammals eat the berries
- Chipping sparrows, robins, song sparrows, mockingbirds, and others use these trees as one of their favorite nesting sites
- Dense foliage is used by various birds as roosting cover
Habitat:
- Woodlands
Size:
- 30-65' tall, with a crown width of 8-20'
Growing Conditions:
- Full sun
- Moist, well-drained soil
Select Identification Characteristics:
- Leaf Type: Twice Pinnately Compound
- Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
- Bud Arrangement: Alternate
- Terminal Bud: Single
