Cedar, Eastern Red, Bare Root

Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)

A sun-loving evergreen for screening and connected winter cover. It is a juniper, with berry-like cones on female trees rather than true berries.

Key Characteristics

A juniper hairstreak host

Juniper hairstreak caterpillars feed on the foliage. Retain dense branches where they can serve as host growth and winter shelter.

Cones and cover

Birds and small mammals eat the blue cones produced by pollinated female trees. These seedlings are unsexed, so an individual tree is not guaranteed to bear cones.

Plan its orchard relationship

Junipers are alternate hosts for cedar-apple rust and related rusts. Consider that relationship when locating a new screen near susceptible apples, crabapples, or hawthorns; mature size also needs room.

Product Details

• Native range: Central and eastern North America
• Life cycle: Evergreen woody perennial tree
• Sun: Full Sun; Part Sun/Shade
• Soil moisture: Dry; Medium-Dry; Medium
• Mature height: 30–40 feet; varies with seedling and site
• Pollen/cone season: March–April
• Pollen/cone colors: Yellow, Green
• USDA hardiness zones: 2–9
• Fruit or seed: Blue berry-like seed cones on female trees; wildlife food.
• Pollination: Separate male and female trees; wind-pollinated. Seedling sex is unselected.

Planting and Ongoing Care

Keep bare roots moist until planting and spread roots without bending them into a tight hole. Water during establishment, mulch clear of the trunk, and protect young trees from browsing and mowing damage. Base feeding on a soil test; our Tree Planting Kit fertilizer blend can be used according to its label when needed.

Monitor rust galls and avoid unnecessary overhead watering. Keep airflow around the screen and choose orchard locations with rust host relationships in mind. Avoid insecticides on open flowers. These are seedlings rather than selected clones, so growth, flowering, and fruiting vary.