FNPS Plant Database

Juniperus virginiana

eastern red cedar
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

eastern red cedar

Synonym(s):

Juniperus silicola

Genus species:

Juniperus virginiana

Family:

Cupressaceae

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:

Hurricane Wind Resistance, Interesting Foliage

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.

Considerations:

Availability:

Big Box Stores, Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Usually moist, occasional inundation -to- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

High. Can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salt.

Soil or Other Substrate:

Soil pH:

Slightly acidic to calcareous

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds

Birds eat the fruit-like cones and use the foliage for cover.

Native Habitats:

Calcareous soils, shell mounds, coastal hammocks, second growth on open rocky fields. Open.

Natural Range in Florida:

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.

Citations:

salt spray tolerance - https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/430/430-031/430-031_pdf.pdf



Anderson, Michelle D. 2003. Juniperus virginiana. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/junvir/all.html [2020, June 15].



Haehle, Robert G. and Joan Brookwell.  1999.  Native Florida Plants.  Gulf Publishing Company.  Houston, TX.



Huegel, Craig, N.  2010.  Native plant landscaping for Florida wildlife.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (wildlife uses, salt).



Institute for Regional Conservation.  Accessed 2021.  Natives for Your Neighborhood. https://www.regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Junivirg.



Nelson, Gil.  2003.  Florida's Best Landscape Plants. Association of Florida Native Nurseries.



Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A gardener's guide to Florida's native Plants.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.



University of Tennessee Extension Service.  Desired Ph Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants.    https://extension.tennessee.edu/mtnpi/Documents/handouts/Fertility/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf   accessed 2021.



Watkins, John and Thomas Sheehan.  1975.  Florida Landscapt Plants, Native and Exotic. University Presses of Florida, Gainesville. (light, soil, salt)



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu /).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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