EASTERN RED CEDAR
An aromatic Evergreen, Eastern Red Cedar can be found a variety of wood products; from the chest you keep your grandmother's quilt in, the beams that hold your porch, to the t&g siding covering your walls. This great American species is an all round favorite among wood workers.
Species:
A survivor, the Eastern Red Cedar is near impervious to weather extremes, this species can survive drought, extreme heat and cold. A smaller tree, Red Cedar usually grows to thirty to forty feet, but has been known to reach heights of ninety feet or more. Easily detectable in an environment, with it's bright green color and gray bark, this Cedar releases a fragrance that can be smelled from long distances away. The most dispersed conifer in the eastern United States, Eastern Red Cedar is native to thirty seven of our beautiful states, with seven various species of Juniper, or Red Cedar, native to Texas.
Color:
The exterior of the tree has a bright green color, with hints of blue from it's fruit, while the bark is a scaly, dusty, gray color. The heartwood of the tree is a very distinct bright red, while the sap wood is a white to yellow tone, similar to Yellow Bald Cypress. These colors paint a unique palette in the Texas landscape, in the western part of the state in particular, where the brown and sand hues of West Texas contrast the bright green Eastern Red Cedar.
Usage:
While there are too many uses for Red Cedar to list here, we'll stick to the big ones:
- Christmas Trees
- Fencing
- T&G siding
- Furniture
- Cedar Chests
- Beams
- Stair Treads
- Wood Carvings
- Counter Tops
- Decking
- Closet Lining
- Log Cabins
History and Fun Facts:
- First noted in 1564 at the colony of Roanoke Island, Virginia, Eastern Red Cedar was cherished by the colonists for fencing, building furniture, and for the construction of their log cabins.
- The berries produced by the Red Cedar provide food for many species of wildlife, birds and mammals.
- Juniper Tea can be produced by boiling twigs, simmer for ten minutes then strain.
- The native American peoples were known to chew berries for canker sores.
- The Choctaw and Creek people used the oil of Red Cedar berries for dysentery
- Smoldering leaves of the Red Cedar can be used for colds, bronchitis, and arthritis.
- The leaves reportedly contain the pharmaceutical compound podophyllotoxin, an agent found in drugs used to treat cancer and multiple sclerosis.
