December 2010 Plant of the Month —
Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana

Eastern red cedar may exhibit a variety of forms from tall and narrow to short and rounded. Photo by A. Pulte.
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Submitted by Andy Pulte

Those who spend their time outdoors or gardening understand that a plant can grow on you over time. Sometimes a plant you’ve overlooked can start to gain your interest. Often this is a plant that you look at for a second time as a possible addition to your landscape or garden. Other times natural curiosity leads you to learn more about a particular species. Juniperus virginiana or Eastern red cedar is one such plant. It is so very common that many of us have never taken the time to learn about some of the things that make it special. 

Eastern red cedar is native to 37 U.S. states as far west and north as North Dakota, south to the Great Plains of Texas and eastward. Actually, under cultivation, this plant will grow in pockets of all 50 states. When I drive the roads of many of these states I often look out my window and marvel at the infinite numbers of shapes and forms of Eastern red cedar that are found along the roadside. I remember a friend of mine remarking that they were a lot like people, fat ones, skinny ones, tall ones and even some short ones. This polymorphism contributes to Eastern red cedar not being a traditionally good nursery plant. Often pyramidal in youth, most plants open up to a broader, unpredictable crown with age.

Eastern red cedar was a plant that I distinctly remember from a very early age growing up in Nebraska. Miles and miles of cornfields were broken up by scattered farmhouses surrounded by windbreaks of Juniperus virginiana, many of which were planted in the hard times of the 1930’s.  As the only native coniferous tree available in many areas, the red cedar was also an early traditional Christmas tree species. I remember as a child walking through thickets of Eastern Red Cedar and not particularly liking the smell or the feel of this plant that seemed to be everywhere.  I have seen pastures left ungrazed or unburned consumed by this early land invader. In fact, Eastern red cedar has been shown to be at least slightly allopathic in nature, reducing or slowing the growth of some prairie plants. Bottom line: Eastern red cedar was made to survive. It can be grown from USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 9, is long lived, grows in some of the windiest conditions imaginable, has minimal pest problems, will grow in almost any soil, and can even withstand salt spray when grown near a beach. 

Now, this isn’t a perfect plant. Deer will browse red cedars as high as they can reach, bagworms sometimes make their home in them, and it is the alternative host for cedar apple rust disease, which can be devastating to susceptible apple cultivars and plants such as hawthorns. However, rust resistant cultivars of apples and hawthorns are available. When faced with large wild populations of Eastern red cedar these are the best choice. Additionally, pollen can be of concern for sensitive allergy sufferers. 

For many years few cultivars of this plant were very commercially available. Several of the early selections were plants that stayed rather short or had grayish foliage. Many people know the cultivar ‘Grey Owl’ which has been around since the thirties. If you do a little plant hunting in the wild, it is fairly easy to find both columnar and more robustly round plants growing in populations within a few feet of each other.

But form is not the only thing to consider with Eastern red cedar. Winter brings a change to this plant. Depending on the individual plant, cool temperatures can help change the foliage color to a deep purple or even copper in color. This change can be looked at as either adding character or as a disadvantage. Many nurserymen have made selections of this plant based on form combined with a lack of this color shift, looking for a plant that remains consistently deep green throughout the winter.  

In the wild you will find Eastern red cedar growing as tall as 100 feet; however, in cultivation it would be rare to see a plant that high. Different populations of trees will also have a variety of looks. Northern populations often will be very narrow, Southern populations tend to be slightly more broadly tapered (although there are exceptions). As you travel to the wind-swept Great Plains, you see a shrubbier look with older trees becoming outstanding specimens resembling giant bonsais. 

One of my favorite cultivars of this plant is Juniperus virginiana 'Taylor'. ‘Taylor’ was found as a sport (part of a plant that shows morphological differences from the rest of the plant) in Taylor, Nebraska, and was released by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum. It will reach nearly 30’ high but will remain just over 3 feet in width. This makes it a plant that could be great for screens or as a columnar accent in a garden. Other cultivars available include some that are powder blue in color or have variegation in their foliage. 'Elegantissima', which is slightly pendulous, has golden-tipped branches and a bronzy fall color.    

Historically, Eastern red cedar has a variety of commercial uses. The first one that often comes to mind is the use of the wood to line closets and make furniture. However, it’s important not to overlook the role it played in the development of many parts of this country as one of the most durable and rot-resistant fence posts available to early settlers. Additionally, many of the greatest minds in this country have been educated while using pencils made from the heartwood of an Eastern red cedar. 

So this year as you drive to a relative’s house or to a holiday party, take a second as you gaze out your window to consider the value of the common Eastern red cedar. Even though you may not soon add this tree to your garden, it is truly worth knowing.

Andy Pulte is a faculty member in the University of Tennessee Department of Plant Sciences and an Internationally Certified Arborist. The UT Gardens are located in Knoxville and Jackson and are a program of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. See http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/ and http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ for more information.

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Contacts:

Andy Pulte, UT Department of Plant Sciences, 865-974-7324

Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications Services, 615-835-4570, pmcdaniels@tennessee.edu