Eastern Red Cedar Christmas Tree

The red cedar range extends from southeastern canada down to the gulf of mexico.

Eastern red cedar christmas tree.

Eastern red cedar juniperus virginiana eastern red cedar is considered the traditional southern christmas tree by many people who can still remember going out in the woods for one as a child. Eastern red cedar is native to north america. Eastern red cedar. Because they are quite salt tolerant they can be used near roads driveways and sidewalks.

It also was the signal. Its pleasing form makes red cedar also popular as a cut or living christmas tree. About a week or two before christmas my dad would say anybody want a christmas tree this year that was the signal for a trip up the mountain to find the very best christmas tree that would fit into our living room. By sharon brown sharran december 25 2012.

The oldest tree reported from west virginia was 940 years old. For best growth plant eastern red cedar in deep moist well draining soils although it tolerates both wetland and dry rocky sites too. It s a member of the juniper family. Unlike some species that must be pruned regularly to maintain the traditional cone shape the eastern red cedar comes by its pyramidal crown naturally.

Red cedar goes by many common names including southern red cedar eastern red cedar and even pencil cedar more on that later. This evergreen isn t a true cedar. Early explorers took note of the tree. It makes an attractive christmas tree with probably the most pleasing aroma of any tree.

Juniperus virginiana is a dense slow growing coniferous evergreen tree that may never become more than a bush on poor soil but is ordinarily from 5 20 m or 16 66 ft tall with a short trunk 30 100 cm or 12 39 inches in diameter rarely to 27 m or 89 ft in height and 170 cm or 67 inches in diameter. The eastern redcedar is an ancient tree dating to aboriginal america where fossil evidence indicates it covered large portions of the continent. These cold hardy adaptable evergreen trees serve many purposes in the landscape especially in sites that are dry alkaline or windy. The eastern red cedar tree range.

To the west native red cedar tree range only occurs east of the great plains but has been successfully spread toward the west by natural regeneration from planted trees. The eastern red cedar is a popular christmas tree in the southern u s where it is a native species. The eastern redcedar is found in texas oklahoma kansas nebraska and in almost every state to their east then northward to the southern ontario and quebec. Eastern red cedar because of its broad growing tolerances makes an exceptional windbreak tree in regions with lots of wind intense or long lasting summer heat or bitter winter cold.

Prior to the availability of plantation grown christmas trees wild eastern redcedars were the tree of choice for many in the south.