Juniperus virginiana Linnaeus. Section: Sabina. Eastern Red Cedar. Phen: Jan-Mar; Oct-Nov. Hab: Bluffs, glades, upland forests and woodlands, pastures, old fields, roadsides, and fencerows, primarily upland, occurring most abundantly on (but by no means restricted to) circumneutral soils (including shrink-swell clays) derived from mafic or calcareous rocks. Dist: S. ME west to e. ND, south to n. FL, s. AL, s. MS, s. LA, and c. TX; disjunct in Coahuila, Mexico (Adams 2011).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Other Comments: The wood is much used for fence posts and the traditional southern cedar chest (which takes advantage of the aromatic and moth-deterrent properties of cedar wood).

Synonymy: = GrPl, Il, Mi, NcTx, Pa, RAB, Tat, Tn, W, WV; = Juniperus virginiana L. ssp. virginiana; = Juniperus virginiana L. var. virginiana – Ar, C, ETx1, FNA2, G, K1, K2, K4, Mo1, NE, NY, Va, Adams & Schwarzbach (2012), Adams & Schwarzbach (2013a), Adams (2008b), Adams (2014), Adams (2018); = Sabina virginiana (L.) Antoine – S, S13; > Juniperus silicicola (Small) L.H.Bailey – Tx, misapplied; < Juniperus virginiana L. – Fl1, WH3; > Juniperus virginiana L. – Tx; >< Juniperus virginiana L. var. virginiana – F

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
• Great Plains: UPL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 7