Juniperus virginiana var. virginiana

Common names

Eastern redcedar, cèdre rouge (Adams 1993).

Taxonomic notes

Syn: Juniperus virginiana var. crebra Fernald & Griscom; Sabina virginiana (Linnaeus) Antoine. It hybridizes with J. horizontalis and J. scopulorum. Reported hybridization with J. ashei has been refuted in subsequent studies (Adams 1993).

Description

"Trees to 30 m; crown narrowly erect (in young, fast-growing trees) to conic or occasionally round. Bark reddish brown. Branches erect, spreading, or pendulous. Scalelike leaves acute at apex. Pollen cones 3-4 mm. Seed cones globose to ovoid, 4-6(-7) mm. Seeds 2-4 mm. 2n = 22, 33" (Adams 1993).

Distribution and Ecology

Canada: Ontario and Québec; USA: all states E from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota; at 0-1400 m in woods, old fields, glades, fencerows, and river swamps (Adams 1993).

Remarkable Specimens

American Forests (1996) record two "champion" trees. One in Lone Hill Church cemetery, Coffee County, Georgia (USA) has diameter 171 cm, height 17 m, and crown spread 21 m. The other, in Coleman cemetery, Angelina National Forest, Texas, has diameter 148 cm, height 27 m, and crown spread 14 m.

Ethnobotany

The wood is used for production of eastern redcedarwood oil, fenceposts, and cedar chests (Adams 1993).

Observations

Remarks

Citations

Adams, Robert P. 1993. Juniperus. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (eds.): Flora of North America North of Mexico, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. This document is available online. Go to http://www.efloras.org, click on "Flora of North America," and search for "Juniperus."

American Forests 1996. The 1996-1997 National Register of Big Trees. Washington, DC: American Forests.

See also