Common Name: red cedar
Type: Needled evergreen
Family: Cupressaceae
Zone: 3 to 9
Height: 12.00 to 15.00 feet
Spread: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge
Leaf: Evergreen
Attracts: Birds
Fruit: Showy
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Deer, Drought, Erosion, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil, Black Walnut, Air Pollution
Culture
Easily grown in average, dry to moist, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates a wide range of soils and growing conditions, from swamps to dry rocky glades. Prefers moist soils but is intolerant of constantly wet soils. It has the best drought resistance of any conifer native to the eastern U.S.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Juniperus virginiana, commonly called Eastern red cedar, is native to Missouri where it typically occurs on limestone bluffs and glades, wood margins, fields, pastures and fence rows throughout the state except for the southeastern lowlands (Steyermark). It is a broadly conical, sometimes columnar, dense, evergreen conifer with horizontal branching that typically grows to 30-65’ tall. Gray to reddish-brown bark exfoliates in thin shreddy strips on mature trees. Trunks are often fluted at the base. Heartwood is reddish-brown and aromatic, and is commonly used for cedar chests. Dark blue green scale-like foliage. Foliage may turn brown-green in winter. Cultivars of this species often retain better foliage color in winter. This is a dioecious species (separate male and female trees). Female trees produce round, gray to blackish-green berry-like cones (1/4” diameter) that ripen in fall the first year. Berry-like cones are attractive to many birds.
Genus name comes from the Latin name for the juniper.
Specific epithet means of Virginia.
‘Hetzii’ is a bushy, open, fountain-shaped shrub with ascending branching that grows to 12-15’ tall, but is more often seen in the landscape at the 5-10’ tall size. Bluish-green to gray-green foliage is mostly scale-like (adult) with awl/needle-like (juvenile) needles on young branches. Foliage generally retains good color in winter. Round, blue-purple, berry-like cones are often highly ornamental. ‘Hetzii’ was introduced into commerce in the 1930s by Fairview Evergreen Nursery in Fairview, Pennsylvania (F. C. Hetz & Sons). This cultivar has been quite popular in commerce. It is often commonly called Hetz juniper. Unfortunately the nomenclature for this plant has been and continues to be a bit confusing. Royal Horticultural Society currently lists it as J. virginiana ‘Hetzii’, but this designation is synonymous with other designations including J. chinensis ‘Hetzii’, J. x media ‘Hetzii’ (no longer accepted name) and J. x pfitzeriana ‘Hetzii’. It has been considered by some authorities to be a hybrid of J. virginiana ‘Glauca’ and J. chinensis ‘Pfitzeriana’. ‘Hetzii Columnaris’ is a more tree-like form.
Problems
Cedar apple rust is a common problem for many different junipers. Susceptible to twig blight and scale. Watch for bagworms. Mites may occur.
Uses
Landscape specimen. Large screen. Hedge. Since plants may over time reach 15’ by 15’ in size, it is important to give them adequate space at the time of planting. Avoid planting near apple trees.