Common Name: red cedar
Type: Needled evergreen
Zone: 2 to 9
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John
Location: Oklahoma City
"Eastern red cedar, a Missouri native, is an exceptionally hardy broadly conical evergreen for hot, dry, sunny locations. It should be noted that Juniperus virginiana exudes a chemical from its root system that inhibits the development of competing vegetation on the ground under its crown. This does not bode well for the gardener who wishes to establish bulbs, perennials and annuals in its shade. We suggest giving it a location with room to spread and allowing the branches to touch the ground for best effect. The species is a viable evergreen tree for Saint Louis gardens. Its cultivars, however, are equally desirable. Two exceptional choices are:
‘Canaertii’ – [Pictured] This cultivar has exceptionally bright green foliage. Its habit is pyramidal when young, with ascendant, irregularly sized branches; giving the plant an interesting asymmetric habit. In summer this cultivar develops beautiful robin’s-egg-blue berry-like cones that attract many birds to the garden. Like the species, ‘Canaertii’ eventually becomes a large imposing specimen, so give it plenty of room to spread; preferably in an expanse of lawn.
‘Grey Owl’ – This interesting cultivar has a broad spreading habit. Mature height is usually 3 feet, with a 6 foot spread. The foliage has a beautiful, soft silver grey color. This cultivar also produces blue berry-like cones that attract birds to a garden.
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Edward
Location: Boston, MA
This tree's major selling points are it's extreme salt resistance, disease resistance, and the fact female trees have small blue-gray berries (technically cones) that are ornamental and provide food to birds like the cedar waxwing.
The salt resistance, combined with wind resistance and dense evergreen foliage, make it a good choice for coastal windbreaks and privacy screens along overly salted roads.
It's form is a narrow cone that resembles arborvitae, except with peeling bark that looks shredded and darker foliage. The foliage color is less attractive then arborvitae, and can take on a tinge of brown/maroon in the winter.
Trees grown in the open can be quite attractive and look almost manicured, but it tends to have lower branches die in the shade...a look which is not appealing on it.
It is an alternate host for cedar-apple rust.
A workhorse tree for tough sites more then an ornamental. Also an arborvitae substitute for people who don't like arborvitae for some reason.