In some areas in the central US, this tree is almost seen as “weedy” because of how quickly and aggressively it can populate a landscape. Eastern red cedars are most commonly used as windbreaks or privacy screens along homes or buildings due to their dense foliage. The Eastern red cedar is a popular Christmas tree in the southern U.S., where it is a native species. In Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas, the eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) has substantially reduced livestock production and profitability by 75% in the rangelands it invades. This tree is native to North America, where in some regions, it is known to be an invasive species. The Colorado blue spruce is most familiar to people as an ornamental landscape tree. The following article contains information about caring for an eastern red cedar tree and oth… Eastern red cedar, commonly called the red cedar, eastern juniper, pencil cedar, and red juniper, is a species of dense, slow-growing conifers that belong to the genus Juniperus of the family Cupressaceae. This diverts resources to keeping the tree alive through winter to creating new buds, which can weaken the tree and make it more vulnerable to a variety of pests, infections and frost damage. The trees that we called cedar were misnamed, but don't ever tell those who live in the mountains of southeast Kentucky. Early explorers took note of the tree. Natural History Branch of eastern redcedar Photo credit: Larry Korhnak, University of Florida. However, balsams prefer cool climates and are native to the northeastern U.S. and Canada. To kick off the new year, we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite trees with a new “Tree of the Month” series. The spruce was chosen in 1978 and planted as the official living White House Christmas tree and is the state tree of both Utah and Colorado. It has dark green to powdery blue needles and a pyramidal form when young. Because this variety of evergreen has very little scent, it is popular with people who suffer from tree-related allergies. Would an Eastern red cedar work as a live Christmas tree? It matures to 40 to 50 feet tall and 8 to 20 feet wide. Eastern Redcedar. Booth's Christmas Tree Farm offers a wide selection of Christmas trees, including: Carolina Sapphire, Eastern Red Cedar, Leyland Cypress, Virginia Pine, Clemson Greenspire and White Pine growing on our farm in Conway. We also have beautiful pre-cut Frasier Fir in sizes 2' - 12' brought in from the North Carolina mountains. These trees can tolerate many weather extremes and road pollution, making them an ideal tree to plant when faced with the effects of climate change and increasing pollution. The Colorado blue spruce is very often sold as a living Christmas tree, which includes an entire root ball and can be planted after the holidays. The eastern red cedar is is a sacred tree of the Native American Cherokee peoples. Arthur Barlowe and Phillip Amadus were quoted as saying the trees were \"the tallest and reddest cedars in the world\" when they arrived at Roanoke Island in 1564. Remove your tree from the container and gently comb the roots to loosen the roots. The eastern red cedar was the primary wood of the pencil industry in colonial times. Also called red cedar, eastern juniper, red juniper, pencil cedar, or aromatic cedar, this evergreen is indigenous to the entire state of Tennessee and was one of the earliest landscape trees used by early pioneers. Eastern redcedar, sometimes called pencil-cedar, is the most widespread juniper in the eastern United States. For numerous tribes, the red cedar tree symbolizes the tree of life and is burned in sweat lodges and in purification rites. But in 1986, a botanist named Robert Adams did detailed comparisons of morphology and chemistry, all of which faile… BARBARA MEDFORD , Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, UT Nov. 5, 2007 Updated: Aug. 10, 2011 5:41 a.m. This will remove the buds that will form the following year's spring growth. Despite its common name, the eastern redcedar is not a true cedar. It's the one we used to go out in the woods to cut "back in the day". The eastern red cedar also has good drought tolerance. Cedar tree, juniper, savin, evergreen, cedar apple, and Virginia red cedar Uses Ethnobotanic: The red cedar is used by many tribes for incense in purification and ritual (Kindscher 1992). This evergreen isn't a true cedar; it's a member of the juniper family. Aunt Bett had told me many times of the legend of the cedar tree. Do not trim an Eastern red cedar after July 15. The Balsam fir was named for the balsam or resin found in blisters on its bark, which was used to treat wounds during the Civil War. This popular evergreen is found in the eastern United States, including right here in Charlotte. silicicolasometimes called southern red cedarstating that there is considerable variability in the characteristics used to differentiate plant varieties. The eastern red cedar is a prolific grower and its seeds can take hold anywhere from backyards to abandon fields to the side of a highway. This lasted for over a century until they switched to western cedars, which were more abundant. They have a sweet scent when crushed. The Eastern Red Cedar is a dense pyramid shaped evergreen with medium green, scale-like, prickly needles, reddish brown bark and seasonal blue-green berry-like fruits, that attract birds. The Scotch pine is one of the most popular Christmas tree species because it rarely sheds its needles and has excellent water retention when cut. Like the Eastern red cedar, the white spruce has a natural conical shape that makes it easy for tree farmers to maintain. TreesCharlotte is a public/private nonprofit collaboration to grow, diversify and steward the city’s iconic urban forest. Nature Reliance 13,398 views. Females produce small blue-grey “berries” that look like fruit, but are actually cones made of infused scales. The needle retention is moderate, and its best when cut later in the season. The eastern redcedar is an ancient tree, dating to aboriginal America, where fossil evidence indicates it covered large portions of the continent. A few students, out of frustration, took a wild guess: a plastic plant, they thought. Tree Identification - Eastern Red Cedar - Duration: 7:39. It is a juniper and the most widely distributed native conifer in the eastern United States. Planting: Eastern Red Cedar Trees are full sun lovers that require at least 6 to 8 hours of sunlight daily.They also prefer moist soil, though they can tolerate dry conditions and most soil types. 1. It's a common choice for cut-your-own farms. Found primarily in the United States east of the Rockies, eastern red cedars are members of the Cypress family. Needs full or partial sunlight, but full is preferred (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day). Redcedar (red and cedar can be spelled together or separate) is found in every U.S. state east of the 100th meridian, which is a geographic vertical map line separating east and west North America. This Eastern Red Cedar tree is grown in Northern Michigan at Dutchman Tree Farms Landscape Nursery for Container Grown Evergreens. It is a slow-growing tree, with mature specimens ranging from just 15 feet up to 60 feet. Dig a hole that is twice as big around as your shipped container and just as deep. Filter by sub-region or select one of the tree types. It's commonly sold as a Christmas tree in California, where it is a native species. Eastern red cedar tree is the common upright juniper of the eastern half of North America. I’m age 70 and enjoy leaving behind these treasured trees. This popular evergreen is found in the eastern United States, including right here in Charlotte. We would go to Grandpa's south of Warsaw and cut one off his land. The eastern red cedar makes a very happy home for small birds and other wildlife that take shelter in its dense foliage and eat the small blue “berries” that develop in the spring. Prune in early spring. Each bag contains a The tree is actually Juniperus virginiana, and its most common name is the eastern red cedar. Sunlight requirements: Full Sun (6 hours a day) Water needs: Weekly the first year to establish good root system. This cedar juniper makes for a great yard tree due to its dense body that provides privacy, small berries that attract colorful birds, and impressive soil and pollution tolerance. The Balsam fir is a beautiful pyramidal tree with short, flat, long-lasting aromatic needles. Colonial craftsmen lost no time in using the wood from the eastern redcedar for furniture and fences, as it had superior weathering capability and was easy to work with. Cedar selections, planted by Louisville tree activist Mike Hayman, on Cedar Hill in Seneca Park. Its not a true cedar but is a member of the juniper family. Unlike some species that must be pruned regularly to maintain the traditional cone shape, the Eastern red cedar comes by its pyramidal crown naturally. Its foliage can be prickly to the touch. The Leyland Cypress is the longest lasting Christmas tree. First of all, it is incredibly tough, growing just as well in zone 3, with winters of minus 30, as it does in Florida, with intense summer heat and humidity. Brown cocoon hanging in a cedar tree of a bagworm, a pest that infests eastern red cedar trees. Pyramidal that widens out as it gets older. He is a member of the Society of American Foresters. Bagworm Cocoon on an Eastern Red Cedar Tree. Looking for the Urban Forest Master Plan? Eastern Red Cedar Christmas tree farms near you in Arkansas, AR. Eastern Red Cedar. It is not a "true" fir and has its own unique species classification. Filter by sub-region or select one of the tree types. … Leland Cypress. The tree was once the primary wood used to make pencils but has been replaced with cheaper woods and synthetic materials. Eastern Red Cedar. This evergreen isn't a true cedar; it's a member of the juniper family. Best in full sun with well-drained soil. Its limbs are stout with woody branches. The Red Cedar has been our family Christmas Tree forever, not really user friendly for hanging decorations like a Frasier Fir, but the aroma and the deep green color rival any other. Ahardy conifer, eastern redcedar is also a pioneer species, boldly repopulating cleared, eroded, or damaged land. The tree was named after David Douglas, who studied the tree in the 1800s. Growth Rate: Medium. This cedar juniper makes for a great yard tree due to its dense body that provides privacy, small berries that attract colorful birds, and impressive soil and pollution tolerance. This dense, slow-growing tree (16 to 66 feet tall) is a species of juniper native to eastern North America. They have a nice, dark green color and are very fragrant. Trained volunteers and science-based programs teach residents about the value of trees and how to plant and care for them. The Douglas fir is another common variety of Christmas tree found throughout the central and northern U.S. Leaves, usually at the end of twigs, are minute, either scalelike or needlelike, olive green to yellowish green, turning bronze after the first frost and staying somewhat reddish through winter. Juniperus virginiana, or Eastern redcedar, is a juniper rather than a true cedar.As Kansas' only native evergreen tree, it grows throughout the state. The Fraser fir is perhaps the most popular variety of Christmas tree because it is hardy enough to survive being cut and shipped across long distances. As an ornamental hedge and popular Christmas tree, an Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) tree blight destroys the tree… The White fir, sometimes called the concolor fir, is known for its long, blue-green needles, excellent needle retention, and pleasing pine scent. However, some people don't like white spruce trees because they tend to shed their needles, which have an unpleasant odor. Their reddish lumber is commonly used for furniture, fence posts, and other novelties. Its needles are a dark, shiny green color and sharp and prickly to the touch. virginianasometimes called eastern red cedarand Juniperus virginiana var. The Scotch pine tree has stiff branches and dark green needles that are retained for four weeks. Removing these buds forces the red cedar tree to grow new ones. Eastern red cedar is a tough evergreen tree attaining a dense pyramidal or columnar shape. The Fraser fir was named for Scottish botanist John Fraser, who explored the southern Appalachians in the late 1700s. It makes an attractive Christmas tree with probably the most pleasing aroma of any tree. Eastern red cedar is a small to medium-sized tree, aromatic, evergreen, with a dense, pyramidal (sometimes cylindrical) crown. This tree can tolerate a wide range of soil moisture and pH, so long as the soil is well-drained. The Fraser is a native southern fir and grows at elevations above 5,000 feet. Eastern Red Cedar Tree Blight. Originally limited to rocky bluffs and other areas where fire couldn't reach them, eastern red-cedar tree populations expanded with the introduction of European land management practices to the United States. January’s tree is the Eastern Red Cedar, also known as the cedar that’s not a cedar. Eastern Red Cedar . Mature Size redcedar grows to a height of about 30 to 35 feet and the branches may spread 12 … Mature size: Reaching 40 to 50’ tall. Great smell but prickly. The Virginia pine is a newcomer to many Christmas tree lots, particularly in the South. It has an amazing scent. Depending on where you live, the kind of evergreen you'll find will vary. You can find blue ice, carolina sapphire, eastern red cedar, fraser fir, leyland cypress, murray cypress, noble fir, virginia pine Christmas tree types in Arkansas, AR. Best cut later in the season. Tolerant of dry, windy conditions once established. The Major North American Conifers with Descriptions, The 3 Best Places to Buy Christmas Trees Online, How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Fresh All Season, Eastern Red Cedar, the Most Widely Distributed Eastern Conifer, 22 Common Insects Pests That Are Harmful to Trees, Central Park South - A Photo Tour of Common Park Trees, A Beginner's Guide to Tree Identification, 6 Common Spruce Tree Ranges in North America, B.S., Forest Resource Management, University of Georgia. Weather: Tolerates heat and winter cold, flooding and drought. Eastern Red Cedar - Juniperus virginiana Eastern red cedar is considered the traditional Southern Christmas Tree by many people who can still remember going out in the woods for one as a child. I grew up in Missouri and our Christmas tree every year was a red cedar. T… Unlike some species that must be pruned regularly to maintain the traditional cone shape, the Eastern red cedar comes by its pyramidal crown naturally. Raulston answered: “Not correct as it does not grow rapidly when young!” These bright kids hadn’t given much thought to Eastern red … On the plus side, the tree's thick branches make it ideal for heavy ornaments. Americans buy about 20 million real Christmas trees each holiday season, most at retail lots and Christmas tree farms. Interested in growing eastern red cedars? The Eastern red cedar is a popular Christmas tree in the southern U.S., where it is a native species. EASTERN RED CEDAR Red Cedar is the traditional Christmas tree for us Southerners. It's also popular because it rarely sheds its needles indoors. Unlike those of true firs, the cones of the Douglas fir hang downward. It is a highly variable plant, but always forms a relatively conical silhouette of up to 50 feet. 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