Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperis virginiana)

This aromatic evergreen is the most widely distributed conifer for Eastern North America ranging from Nova Scotia to Ontario and south to Texas and Florida. It can attain heights of 30 – 40 feet and widths of 8 – 20 feet. I find it an interesting tree to watch throughout the seasons where it changes colors from gray/blue in the summer to brownish for the winter. It is recognized that there are 2 varieties of the Eastern red cedar with the typical virginiana and the southern cousin.

I can’t begin to explain how hardy these evergreens are. They tolerate a wide range of soils but are intolerant of constantly wet sites. They tolerate windy spaces and salt. They are resistant to extreme drought, heat, and cold. This makes them ideal planting candidates for abandoned surface mines, abandoned agricultural fields, and logging sites. They can thrive in highly eroded areas and nutrient-poor soils. Though they are slow-growing they are excellent choices for windbreaks and living snow fences.

The red cedar is extremely hardy and relatively free of the most serious pests and diseases. That explains why these trees can be very long-lived whereas some have been documented at 500 years old. Since these trees are so hardy it should be of no surprise that they are considered a pioneer species where they are one of the first trees to populate open spaces. In fact, red cedars are a concern that when planted in or near prairie or scrubland ecosystems that they would become the dominant plant life and decrease the diversity of that ecosystem. What keeps them in check is their intolerance to fire. In the past, controlled fires kept them out of fragile prairie ecosystems.

There are 2 distinct sexes (dioecious) for the Easter red cedar. They are wind-pollinated where the male produces pollen cones and the female produces blueberries. Their seeds are primarily dispersed by birds. The seeds pass through their digestive tracts within 30 minutes and germinate usually in the next spring. The digestive juices penetrate and pit the hard berry coat. In fact, these berries are a very important food source for birds and mammals since they have high carbohydrate and fat content. Over 50 songbirds rely on this berry for winter food especially the cedar waxwing for which the birds’ name is derived from the tree name. In addition, mammals such as rabbits, foxes, raccoons, skunks, opossum, and coyotes rely on berries for winter food. The twigs are eaten by deer.

This evergreen has good wildlife value where its dense branches provide important shelter for songbirds, and also quails, bobwhites, grouse, pheasants, and turkeys. Even small butterflies and small mammals find shelter in their branches. It also provides nesting sites for Cooper’s hawks, blue jays, mocking birds, and mourning doves.

Definitely a tree worth considering planting but a word of caution. Remember to keep the Eastern red cedar away from fragile ecosystems if fire control is suppressed. Also, this tree is a host for the cedar-apple rust. This is a destructive pathogen infecting the apple, pear, and quinces. It is recommended that there be a buffer zone of 500 feet between red cedar and these fruit trees.