Juniperus virginiana

Common Names

Eastern Red Cedar, Red Cedar, Juniper, Savin, Redcedar, Cedar Tree, Cedar Apple, Evergreen, Red Juniper, Virginia Red Cedar

Summary

Eastern Redcedar is an evergreen native to eastern North America, typically 40–50 ft tall with an 8–20 ft spread and a pyramidal to columnar crown. It features fragrant, scale-like foliage on older growth and awl-shaped leaves on new shoots, blue berry-like cones on female trees that persist and are eaten by birds, and reddish-brown, shreddy bark; the wood is rot-resistant and historically valued for timber and fragrance. It tolerates a wide range of soils and conditions, including dry, alkaline, and rocky sites, and is drought- and salt-tolerant once established, making it suitable for windbreaks, screens, or specimen plantings and for wildlife habitat.

Growth is rapid with minimal pruning required; it prefers full sun and well-drained soil, tolerates clay and a wide pH range, and is hardy in USDA zones 2–9. Propagation is by seed or cuttings, and numerous cultivars exist offering varied forms and colors. Pests and diseases include bagworms, juniper scale, webworms, mites, and cedar-apple rust, an alternate host for apple trees, so rust risk can be reduced by planting away from apples; in landscapes it provides year-round color, drought tolerance, and uses such as windbreaks, screens, reclamation, and wildlife-friendly ornamentals.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

480-600 inches

Spread

10-20 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 2-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

4.7-7.8, wide pH tolerance with no single ideal

Bloom Color

Yellowish-brown (male blooms) and dark blue to bluish-purple (female cones)

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green to blue-green

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color change; evergreen with green foliage.

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen

Growth Rate

Growth is highly site- and density-dependent; typically fast to moderate, about 1–2 feet per year, with poorer growth in landscapes that are over-irrigated.

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Grafting

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts birds, butterflies, and other pollinators