Habitat

• native to east and central North America
• zone 3
• often an early colonizer of old farm fields
• commonly found along interstate highway medians

Habit and Form

• evergreen tree
• conical shape in youth, opening with age
• 40' to 50' tall by 8' to 15' wide, usually smaller than this
• moderate growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• scale-like and awl-like leaves
• arranged in a 4-rank pattern
• needles are closely pressed to stem and tend to overlap
• needles are pointed
• medium green in color
• needles have a strong cedar scent to them

Autumn Foliage

• evergreen
• needles have a bronze cast during cold months

Flowers

• plants can be monoecious or dioecious
• male flower yellow and female green
• male flowers have 10-12 stamens
• blooms in late winter

Fruit

• berry-like cones, mature in one year
• 0.25" in diameter
• waxy, blue appearance

Bark

• reddish brown coloring
• shreds in long strips

Culture

• easily transplanted
• tolerant of most conditions
• pH adaptable
• full sun

Landscape Use

• specimen
• screen
• mass plantings
• groupings
• windbreaks
• foundation plantings
• wood used for cedar products, fence posts
• difficult sites

Liabilities

• susceptible to bagworm and cedar-apple rust
• source of many allergy problems due to pollen, especially in the south

ID Features

• both scale-like and awl-like foliage
• medium green needle color
• bronze winter color
• needles arranged in a 4-rank pattern
• waxy, blue fruits; small
• needle tips pointed
• branches have a strong cedar scent
• upright form

Propagation

• by cuttings for cultivars
• by seed

Cultivars/Varieties

'Burkii' - This pyramidal 20' tall plant has blue-green needles with a purplish cast in winter. It is a non-fruiting male clone.

'Canaertii' - A common cultivar, this plant grows as a compact pyramid to perhaps 25' tall after many years. The deep green needles are borne on the tips of the branches and the profuse fruit are bloomy blue.

'Emerald Sentinel' - This is a new pyramidal, columnar for growing 20' tall and only 8' wide. The foliage is dark green and the color is held well in winter. It is a fruiting female variety.

'Glauca' - This name serves as an umbrella for many clones with bluish needles, often fading in summer. Most grow 15'-20' tall with a pyramidal form. 'Manhattan Blue' is similar, growing to 12' tall.

'Grey Owl' - A low spreading form to 18" tall with 3' to 6' spread, this plant bears fine, feathery foliage of a silver-blue color. It is a compact, spreading grower only growing 6' tall but much wider in time. It is an abundant fruiting clone.

'Hillspire' - This male clone assumes a symmetical pyramidal habit with healthy green foliage. The foliage color is maintained in winter.

'Pendula' (also listed as f. pendula) - Many clones carry this name, and most have spreading limbs with pendulous branchlets. They can grow to 40' tall and feature abundant blue fleshy cones.