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| Needles Photo by: Robert Vidéki |
Bark Photo by: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service |
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| Cone Photo by: Paul Wray |
Tree Photo by: Steven J. Baskauf |
Migratory seed-eating birds are thought to be responsible for the scattered pockets of eastern redcedar near many lakes.
Eastern redcedar is named for its predominance in eastern Ontario, but it can also be found scattered along the shores of Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Georgian Bay, as far north as the French River. It is often abundant on roadsides and in abandoned fields.
This species looks and sounds like a cedar tree from a distance but it is a tree-sized juniper. It has two kinds of bluish-green leaves, sharply pointed needles and softer, more rounded scale leaves. The cone looks like a berry, with a bluish-white powder on the surface. It is slow growing but old bark peels off in long, fibrous strands.
The eastern redcedar is well adapted to dry soils and harsh conditions, and thrives even with salt spray from our roads.
Size: Up to 10 m tall
Moisture: Dry to average moisture
Shade: Intolerant of shade
Soil: Prefers well-drained loamy, sandy or rocky soils with high pH
Planting Tip: As a native evergreen, this species is useful for windbreaks and hedges on tough, dry, limestone-based soils where little else grows. It rarely requires pruning but can be sheared into topiary. More tips...
