Juniperus Virginia, Eastern Red Cedar Plant Identification Fact Sheet

This is the tree, shrub, and vine identification project fact sheet for Juniperus virginia, Eastern Red Cedar or Juniper. This fact sheet may not be copied in part or in whole and submitted as one's own project, but may be cited as a source of facts during one's own research. See tree, shrub, and vine identification project main page for links to other plants, and evergreen tree slideshow for pictures

Plant Botanical Name: Juniperus virginia

Common Name: Eastern Red Cedar, Juniper

Family Name: Cupressaceae

Plant is Native to What Country: Eastern and central North America.

Plant Height at Maturity: 35-50 feet high, 10-25 feet wide.

Plant Habit and Form: Evergreen trees predominately conical in shape. Medium texture, slow to moderate growth rate.

Foliage: Leaves pointed, either or both scale-like and awl-like, often close to the stem and overlapping. Leaves are arranged in a four-rank pattern. Leaves strongly aromatic, green in summer, becoming somewhat bronze in cold weather.

Bark: Bark is more reddish brown than gray, shedding in long, vertical stringy strips.

Flower: Flowers monoecious or dioecious, with the male flowers yellow and female flowers green. Flowers bloom in late winter or early spring.

Fruit/Seed: Berry-like cones measuring 0.125 to 0.25" in diameter, mature the first year. Cones have a waxy blue color when mature.

Growing Requirements: Trees have a wide tolerance of site location and soil PH. Full sun is necessary; trees do not do well in shade.

Problems and Drawbacks: Trees are host to Cedar-Apple rust, which can affect nearby fruit trees. Trees also are susceptible to bagworm. Pollen can pose an allergy problem.

Special Uses: Trees can be grown as a specimen becoming picturesque with age. Trees are a great selection for difficult sites. Can be used as a windbreak or screen. Cedar wood is used for fenceposts and other outdoor uses.

ID Tips/Remarks: Crushed foliage emits strong cedar aroma.

Bibliography: http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/j/junvir/junvir1.html, http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=JUVI.