Eastern Red Cedar - Juniperus virginiana

Phonetic: jew-NIP-er-us ver-jin-ee-AY-nah

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1 Gallon Pot- 2.5-3'

Eastern red cedar, is a hardy evergreen tree that thrives in full sun and adapts to a wide range of soil types, from dry, rocky uplands to limestone outcrops and well-drained prairies. Although it prefers dry to moderately moist soil, it is remarkably drought-tolerant once established and can even grow in poor or shallow soils where few other trees survive. 

Eastern red cedar blooms in late winter to early spring, typically from February through April. It is a dioecious species, meaning individual trees are either male or female. Male trees produce small pollen cones, while female trees bear tiny green cones that mature into berry-like, bluish seed cones by late summer or early fall. These fleshy cones, take about a year to ripen and can persist through the winter, providing an important cold-season food source for wildlife. Birds, particularly cedar waxwings, consume the fruits and disperse the seeds, helping to spread the species across the landscape.

Eastern Red Cedar provides year-round value to a variety of wildlife and insects. Its dense foliage offers shelter and nesting sites for birds and small mammals, while its fruits are a vital food source for over 50 bird species. It is also a host plant for Juniper Hairstreak moth and the Imperial Moth. Although its wind-pollinated flowers do not directly support bees or butterflies, the tree still contributes indirectly to pollinator health by stabilizing soils, improving habitat diversity, and offering protection in harsh weather. The evergreen canopy also creates microhabitats that moderate temperature and humidity, supporting understory plants and insects. 

• Hardiness Zone: 2-9
• Native Region: BONAP Map
• BONAP Map Key Color Guide: Map Color Key
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun
• Flower Color: Yellow
• Bloom Time: March, April, May
• Soil Type: Medium Dry, Medium , Moist
• Mature Plant Size: 30-50'H, 8-25'W
• Plant Spacing: 6-12'
• Host Plant: Juniper Hairstreak Moth, Imperial Moth
• Attracts: Bees, Butterflies, 
• Advantages: Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Poor Soil Tolerant 
• Landscape Uses: Borders
• Companion Plants: Bearberry, Switchgrass, Little Blue Stem, Creeping Phlox