SCIENTIFIC NAME: Juniperus virginiana
COMMON NAME: Eastern Red Cedar (Juniper)
GARDEN SIZE: 30-65 feet tall x 8-25 feet wide
GROWTH RATE: Fast (up to 12 inches or more per year under ideal conditions)
USDA ZONE: 2-9
EXPOSURE: Full Sun
WATER & SOIL: Well-drained soil; Average water requirements
HABIT (FORM): Upright with a densely-branched, rounded canopy
FOLIAGE: Evergreen; Medium green scale-like needles
FRUIT: Bright blue berry-like cones in fall
PLANT ORIGIN: Native to the eastern north American continent, from Canada to Florida and from Colorado to the Atlantic.
WILDLIFE SUPPORT: Attracts Songbirds; Deer resistant. For butterflies and moths, it supports the Olive Hairstreak, the Imperial Moth, the Whitemarked Tussock moth, Periploca laeta, and Periploca mimula, among many others. For some, this is the only observed native host in our area.
FERTILIZING: Feed in spring and fall with acidic organic fertilizer
PRUNING: Minimal shearing required. Hand pruning in late winter or early summer is preferred.
PET SAFETY: Generally considered mildly toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and humans.
USES: Privacy Screenings