Campus Tree Walk | Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar | Juniperus virginiana
Pronunciation: joo-NIP-er-us ver-jin-ee-AY-nuh
Scientific Name: Juniperus virginiana
Common Names: Eastern Red Cedar
Family: Cupressaceae
Origin: native to the entirety of North America
Height: 40 to 50 feet | Spread: 10 to 20 feet
Description: The eastern red cedar is a very prevalent tree in our local treescape. This member of the cypress (Cupressaceae) family is dioecious (die-EE-shus), meaning the male and female reproductive structures are located on separate trees. Male trees exhibit a yellow-brown hue in winter before releasing their pollen in early spring. Meanwhile, female eastern red cedars produce small, berry-like cones that begin greenish white and become a waxy light blue color once mature in the summer and fall. This tree can exceed 850 years of age!