Eastern Red Cedar: The branches of the eastern redcedar are compact and form a pyramidal crown, except in older trees. The leaves are usually arranged in opposing pairs along the branchlets. They are a dark shiny green color. The bark is reddish brown with a tendency to peel in long fibrous strips. Conelets form in late summer or early fall and become visible early in the following spring. They are fertilized in summer. The berrylike cones change color, becoming greenish white then whitish blue and finally bluish, as they mature. Each cone contains one to four seeds. The birds and animals that feed on them spread the seeds over a wide area. The bony seeds are carried through their digestive system intact and deposited with their droppings. This tree is not a true cedar but a member of the juniper family, as the botanical name implies. It is closely related to Juniperus scopulorum, the Rocky Mountain juniper. There are numerous cultivars of eastern redcedar. Many are characterized by color differences that vary from dark green to bluish green, to silvery, to gray-green, to bronze, and even to purple. Although they are slow growing, heights of over 40 feet have been recorded. Eastern redcedars have been known to adjust to shade conditions by remaining dormant until the dominant trees loose their leaves. They then conduct photosynthesis while their taller neighbors are dormant.

 

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