Eastern Redcedars have two types of flowers which bloom in the Spring. Male flowers are yellowish-brown and female flowers are light bluish-green. The flowers give way to berry-like cones that are light green at first, before turning blue. Cones are about 1/4 inch wide. They do not become mature until September. These cones are consumed by many animals. Eastern Redcedars are usually found together with the following trees: Eastern White Pine, Virginia Pine, Loblolly Pine, Sassafras, hickories, oaks, maples, American Beech, and Black Walnut. White-tailed Deer, mice, and rabbits eat young redcedars, but this tree is best known for its fruit. Cones are eaten by many birds and mamals, including: American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Bobwhite, turkey, starling, Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, Purple Finch, American Crow, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Bluebird, rabbits, foxes, squirrels, skunks, opossums, and raccoons, among others.

Copyright, Mark Brand

Eastern Redcedars are also important providers of protective cover for birds and small mammals, as well as nest sites for birds. Deer hide among them and juncos, robins, sparrows, mockingbirds, and Eastern Screech Owls nest in them.

Bagworm moths eat the leaves, sometimes killing the young trees. Many fungi are parasites of Eastern Redcedar, especially polypore fungi.

Earthworms do very well in soil where Eastern Redcedars grow, because this tree changes the chemical composition of the soil, making it healthier for the worms to live in.

Relationships in Nature:

Animals Using as Food Source	Animals Using as Shelter	Associations With Other Plants	OTHER
Eastern Cottontail	Eastern Screech Owl	Black Oak	Earthworm C
White-tailed Deer	American Robin	Eastern White Pine	Poison Ivy Pa
Meadow Vole	White-tailed Deer	Virginia Pine	Virginia Creeper Pa
American Robin	Northern Mockingbird	Sassafras	American Robin D
Northern Mockingbird	Dark-eyed Junco	Loblolly Pine	Northern Cardinal D
Wild Turkey	Eastern Cottontail	Red Maple	Wild Turkey D
Red Fox	Barred Owl	American Beech	Eastern Cottontail D
Striped Skunk	American Dog Tick	Black Walnut	Raccoon D
Raccoon	Green Darner	Mockernut Hickory	Red Fox D
Virginia Opossum	Northern Cardinal	American Holly	Striped Skunk D
Downy Woodpecker	White-throated Sparrow	White Oak	Cedar Waxwing D
Eastern Bluebird	Chinese Mantid	Wild Grape	Eastern Bluebird D
Mourning Dove	Brown-headed Cowbird	Smooth Sumac	Meadow Vole D
Common Crow	Mourning Dove	Greenbrier	European Gypsy Moth C
Cedar Waxwing	American Goldfinch	Switchgrass	Northern Mockingbird D
Purple Finch	Spring Peeper	Tussock Sedge	Virginia Opossum D
Bagworm Moth	Carolina Chickadee	Evergreen Blackberry	Mourning Dove D
Northern Cardinal	Tufted Titmouse	Japanese Honeysuckle	American Goldfinch D
European Starling	Common Grackle	Black-eyed Susan	European Starling D
	Bald Eagle	Black Locust

Relationship to Humans:

Eastern Redcedars are used by people in many ways. The wood of this tree is very attractive, and workable, so it is used for fenceposts, poles, paneling, furniture, woodenware, pencils, bedding for pets, and chests. It has some insect-repelling properties, so it is used to help repel clothes moths. Shavings are put into closets, or liners.

As an ornament, Eastern Redcedars are used as Christmas trees, and as hedges.

Eastern Redcedars are also very good for attracting wildlife.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

KINGDOM Plant DIVISION Coniferophyta CLASS Pinopsida ORDER Pinales FAMILY Cupressaceae GENUS Juniperus SPECIES Juniperus virginiana

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