Species › Plants › Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

CommonPlant
Illustration of Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Eastern Red Cedar is not a true cedar but a juniper, and is one of the most important wildlife trees in eastern North America. Cedar waxwings, bluebirds, and many other species consume its blue-gray berries in large quantities, and the dense foliage provides critical shelter and nesting sites. It is a pioneer on old fields and can form dense thickets.

Habitat
Old fields, roadsides, pastures, and dry hillsides across eastern North America
Diet
Berries eaten by over 50 bird species; dense foliage provides year-round shelter
How common
Common

Best time to see a Eastern Red Cedar

The best time to see a Eastern Red Cedar is January–July, when about 61% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 83,573 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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