Juniperus virginiana
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Eastern Red Cedar
Cupressaceae
Also known as Juniperus silicola
Plant Specifics
Form: | Tree | |
Size: | to 40 ft tall by to 20 ft wide | |
Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
Flower Color: | NA | |
Fruit Color: | Blue | |
Phenology: | Evergreen. Dioecious (male and female cones on separate trees). Female cones ripen in fall. | |
Noted for: | Interesting foliage, Hurricane wind resistance |
Landscaping
Recommended Uses: | Often used as a screen by planting in one or two fairly dense rows. Also useful as a background tree. Can be a specimen tree. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Propagation: | Seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Availability: | Big box stores, Native nurseries, FNPS plant sales, Quality nurseries, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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(Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: | Usually moist, occasional inundation ----- to ----- Very long very dry periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of occasional/brief inundation such as can occur in storm surges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil or other substrate: | Clay, Lime rock, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil pH: | Slightly acidic to calcareous |
Ecology
Wildlife: |
Birds eat the fruit-like cones and use the foliage for cover. | |
Insects: | ||
Native Habitats: | Calcareous soils, shell mounds, coastal hammocks, second growth on open rocky fields. Open. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
10A 10B 8A 8B 9A 9B

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
Ethnobotany: | Was used as a southern Christmas tree before trees were carted in from the north. | |
General Comments: | The blue fruits on this tree are actually fleshy cones. |