Eastern Red Cedar

(Juniperus virginiana)

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Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Identifying Characters: Eastern Red Cedar is the only juniper species found east of the Mississippi River. The species occurs west of the Mississippi as well, but can be identified there by the absence of a raised, hemispherical gland on the scales and the smooth margins of the scales at 20x.

Similar Species: Eastern Red Cedar may be confused with Ashe's Juniper in the western limits of its range. The scales of Ashe's Juniper have raised, hemisperical glands absent in Eastern Red Cedar.

Measurements: A tree, basically cylindrical and pointed at the apex. The species is the tallest of the junipers, individuals sometimes reaching nearly 100 feet, but usually between 40 and 50 feet in height; diameter 1 to 3 feet at breast height.

Female Cones: Cones berry-like, 0.25 to 0.35 inches in length, globular or slightly elongate; color dark blue, with a white bloom; 1 to 4 seeds, usually between 1 and 2.

Leaves: Leaves scale-like, opposite, usually pointed at the apex; color dark green or blue-green; scale margins smooth, not minutely toothed at 20x.

Bark: Bark brown to gray-brown, borken into wide scaly ridges.

Native Range: Eastern Red Cedar is the most widely distributed conifer of tree size in the Eastern United States and is found in every State east of the 100th meridian. The species extends northward into southern Ontario and the southern tip of Quebec. The range of Eastern Red Cedar has been considerably extended, especially in the Great Plains, by natural regeneration from planted trees. (Silvics of North America. 1990. Agriculture Handbook 654.)

Habitat: Eastern Red Cedar prefers rocky, drier soils or rocky ridges and has a decided preference for limestone. The species occurs in several varieties. The species usually occurs as isolated individuals, but in rolling limestone hills can occur as nearly pure stands.

Notes: Populations of Eastern Red Cedar in the south (variety silicicola) have slightly hanging branches and the berries are slightly smaller.