Eastern Red-Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

green, soft needles with blue berry-like fruits
“Juniperus virginiana 1b” by Scott Zona, via Flickr. CC BY-NC 2.0.
christmas tree shaped eastern red cedar
“Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana” by Plant Image Library, via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: fruits attract birds and a variety of mammals, generally adaptable and hardy to cold

Seasons of Interest: fruits in late summer-fall, interest year-round

Best Areas for Planting: dry-moist soil that is well-drained and alkaline, full sun

Natural Habitat: can be found along fencerows and roadsides of limestone outcroppings

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.