Southern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- jew-NIP-er-us vir-jin-ee-AY-nuh sil-iss-ih-KOL-ah
- Description
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Coastal red cedar is a needled evergreen tree in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family native to the southeastern coastal plains of the U.S.A. This common tree is found growing in sand dunes and marshes yet, it does not like an overabundance of water.
This small round red cedar has plump cones (3-4 mm long) with scale-like leaves forming on the slender extremity of the sprig on the slow-growing shoots.
The bark is an attractive cinnamon red color, providing winter interest in the landscape and it can be planted as a hedge, or an evergreen barrier.
This plant may be confused with: Juniperus virginiana The fleshy cones on Southern coastal redcedar are smaller than those of Eastern Redcedar (3-4 mm long vs. 4-7 mm long).
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Junipers are susceptible to a variety of insect pests like aphids, bagworms, caterpillars, spider mites, juniper scales, juniper tip dwarf mites, juniper webworms, and spruce spider mites..
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Juniperus
- Species:
- virginiana
- Family:
- Cupressaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South Eastern U.S.A
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Weeping
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Blue
- Green
- White
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- This plump cone in spring is green following with a bluish color and eventually having a white topping.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Shape:
- Acicular
- Obtuse
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The shorter shiny scale-like leaves being bluntly obtuse to acute at the tip of a stem grow on the slow-growing shoots.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Exfoliating
- Papery
- Bark Description:
- The bark's new growth is green turning to a striking cinnamon red color as it matures.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Hedge
