Eastern Red Cedar Christmas Tree

About a week or two before christmas my dad would say anybody want a christmas tree this year that was the signal for a trip up the mountain to find the very best christmas tree that would fit into our living room.

Eastern red cedar christmas tree.

The eastern red cedar is a popular christmas tree in the southern u s where it is a native species. It makes an attractive christmas tree with probably the most pleasing aroma of any tree. The eastern red cedar tree range. Prior to the availability of plantation grown christmas trees wild eastern redcedars were the tree of choice for many in the south.

The oldest tree reported from west virginia was 940 years old. Unlike some species that must be pruned regularly to maintain the traditional cone shape the eastern red cedar comes by its pyramidal crown naturally. The eastern redcedar is an ancient tree dating to aboriginal america where fossil evidence indicates it covered large portions of the continent. This evergreen isn t a true cedar.

Because they are quite salt tolerant they can be used near roads driveways and sidewalks. To the west native red cedar tree range only occurs east of the great plains but has been successfully spread toward the west by natural regeneration from planted trees. By sharon brown sharran december 25 2012. Its not a true cedar but is a member of the juniper family.

Arthur barlowe and phillip amadus were quoted as saying the trees were the tallest and reddest cedars in the world when they arrived at roanoke island in 1564. It s a member of the juniper family. The eastern redcedar is found in texas oklahoma kansas nebraska and in almost every state to their east then northward to the southern ontario and quebec. It also was the signal.

The red cedar range extends from southeastern canada down to the gulf of mexico. Eastern red cedar is native to north america. These cold hardy adaptable evergreen trees serve many purposes in the landscape especially in sites that are dry alkaline or windy. For best growth plant eastern red cedar in deep moist well draining soils although it tolerates both wetland and dry rocky sites too.

Its pleasing form makes red cedar also popular as a cut or living christmas tree. Eastern red cedar. Early explorers took note of the tree. Red cedar goes by many common names including southern red cedar eastern red cedar and even pencil cedar more on that later.

It s one of several evergreen species grown on florida christmas tree farms.