Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana (eastern redcedar) description

Mature trees growing on the escarpment at Devils Lake State Park, Wisconsin [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.04].

A young tree, 8 cm dbh and 6 m tall, in the understory of a hardwood deciduous forest near Tuscaloosa, Alabama [C.J. Earle, 2024.03.10].

A large forest interior tree in Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.11].

A closed-canopy stand of mixed hardwoods and J. virginiana at Runge Nature Center, Missouri [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.12].

A seedling ca. 10 cm tall in Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.11].

Typical juvenile foliage on at tree at Buffalo River State Park, Minnesota [C.J. Earle, 2019.09.28].

Typical adult foliage on at tree at Itasca State Park, Minnesota [C.J. Earle, 2019.09.29].

Nearly-ripe pollen cones on a tree at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, Texas [C.J. Earle, 2024.02.05].

Foliage with receptive female strobili on a tree at Bluffton Natural Area, Iowa [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.03].

Heavy crop of seed cones on a tree at Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa [C.J. Earle, 2019.10.11].

Bark on a forest interior tree at Bluffton Natural Area, Iowa. The frayed character indicates that small animals have been harvesting the bark, typically for nesting material [C.J. Earle, 2019.10.11].

A seed cone infected by cedar apple rust, Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae; Arrow Rock, Missouri [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.12].

J. virginiana regeneration following overstory removal by hurricane Michael in 2018 at Torreya State Park in Florida. The left sapling has all adult foliage, the center one has all juvenile, and the one at far right has both types [C.J. Earle, 2024.02.12].

A tree along a fenceline west of Council Grove, Kansas. Through the action of birds perching on fences and utility wires, J. virginiana has extended its range far west into the Great Plains, in some areas far enough to contact J. scopulorum which has been moving eastwards by the same mechanism [C.J. Earle, 2023.05.15].

Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana

Common names

Eastern redcedar, cèdre rouge (Adams 1993).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Juniperus virginiana var. crebra Fernald & Griscom; Sabina virginiana (Linnaeus) Antoine. It hybridizes with J. horizontalis and J. scopulorum. Reported hybridization with J. ashei has been refuted in subsequent studies (Adams 1993).

Description

"Trees to 30 m; crown narrowly erect (in young, fast-growing trees) to conic or occasionally round. Bark reddish brown. Branches erect, spreading, or pendulous. Scalelike leaves acute at apex. Pollen cones 3-4 mm. Seed cones globose to ovoid, 4-6(-7) mm. Seeds 2-4 mm. 2n = 22, 33" (Adams 1993).

Distribution and Ecology

Canada: Ontario and Québec; USA: all states E from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota; at 0-1400 m in woods, old fields, glades, fencerows, and river swamps (Adams 1993).

Remarkable Specimens

American Forests (1996) record two "champion" trees. One in Lone Hill Church cemetery, Coffee County, Georgia (USA) has diameter 171 cm, height 17 m, and crown spread 21 m. The other, in Coleman cemetery, Angelina National Forest, Texas, has diameter 148 cm, height 27 m, and crown spread 14 m.

Ethnobotany

The wood is used for production of eastern redcedarwood oil, fenceposts, and cedar chests (Adams 1993).

Observations

Remarks

Citations

Adams, Robert P. 1993. Juniperus. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.): Flora of North America North of Mexico, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. This document is available online. Go to http://www.efloras.org, click on "Flora of North America," and search for "Juniperus."

American Forests 1996. The 1996-1997 National Register of Big Trees. Washington, DC: American Forests.