Juniperus Virginiana Trees

Features

• The foliage of the Eastern red cedar and its cultivars resembles overlapping scales, arranged on the twigs. The foliage is a dark shade of blue-green in the parent species, but some of the cultivars exhibit other shades of green. In cold winters, the needles may take on a bronzed look, notes the University of Connecticut Plant Database. The bark is a major ornamental feature of the tree, being reddish-brown and exfoliating on the trunk in thin strips, especially on mature specimens. The fruits of Eastern red cedar look like waxy, blue berries, but in reality, they are cones. The trunks of many of these trees have a fluted appearance at their base.

Types and Sizes

• Eastern red cedar grows between 30 to 65 feet, with the majority of trees on the smaller end of that range. Most cultivars of this tree are smaller. Burkii is a form that tops out around 20 feet, while Canaertii grows to 25 feet. Glauca is a 20-foot cultivar of Juniperus virginiana; Emerald Sentinel is of similar size. Hillspire is a bit taller, occasionally growing up to 30 feet. Hetzii is a well-known cultivar, staying small at between 12 to 15 feet.

Growing Conditions

• No conifer native to the East displays more tolerance to drought conditions than Juniperus virginiana, states the Missouri Botanical Garden. While the tree prefers a dry to damp, well-draining site in full sun, it adapts to most types of soils. The pH levels of the ground matter little to these trees, and they are not difficult to transplant. If possible, place the Eastern red cedar or its cultivars in moist soil where it will perform the best.

Uses

• All of the forms of Juniperus virginiana are handsome enough to stand alone as a specimen tree, but these trees have other functions within the landscape. For example, Taylor is a narrow form, growing just 4 feet wide at the most, allowing its use to make privacy screens or as a tree to stand along driveways and entryways. Use Hetzii to create screens and hedges. Plant Hillspire in numbers to form groves or plant it in succession to create a windbreak. Most of the forms of Juniperus virginiana are suitable as foundation plants. Pay attention to the cold hardiness of these cultivars when employing them – most are cold hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness zones 2 and 3, but types like Taylor are only hardy to USDA zone 4.