Eastern Red Cedar Tree Seeds-(Juniperus Virginiana)
Eastern Red Cedar Tree Seeds-(Juniperus Virginiana)
Tough as the land it grows on. Beautiful in every season.
Juniperus virginiana, the Eastern Red Cedar, is not actually a cedar but a juniper, and one of the most ecologically valuable native trees in North America. It is the first to reclaim abandoned fields, the last to give up in a drought, and a year-round anchor for wildlife habitat across the eastern United States. With its dense evergreen form, fragrant wood, and deep blue berry-like cones, it earns its place on any land it touches.
- Native evergreen across most of eastern North America
- Produces blue berry-like cones that feed over 50 bird species in winter
- Extremely drought-tolerant once established
- Dense growth provides windbreak, screening, and wildlife shelter
- Fragrant wood naturally repels insects
Things You Probably Didn’t Know
It dominates the eastern landscape.
Eastern Red Cedar is the most widely distributed conifer in the eastern United States, thriving from Nova Scotia to Florida and west into the Great Plains.
It feeds birds when nothing else can.
Its berry-like cones are a critical winter food source for cedar waxwings, bluebirds, robins, and many others when food is scarce.
It built the pencil industry.
For decades, Eastern Red Cedar was the primary wood used for pencils in the United States due to its fine grain and smooth cutting qualities.
It’s a natural pioneer.
This species quickly colonizes disturbed land. Birds spread the seeds widely, allowing it to establish where most trees cannot.
Growing Details
- Botanical Name: Juniperus virginiana
- Stratification: Required; 60–120 days cold moist stratification
- USDA Zones: 2–9
- Soil: Extremely adaptable; tolerates poor, dry, rocky, or alkaline soils
- Light: Full sun
- Height: 40–50 feet
- Spread: 8–20 feet
- Growth Rate: Slow to moderate (1–2 ft/year)
Plant it where nothing else will grow and watch it quietly become essential.
FAQ
FAQ
Do you pre-stratify the seeds?
Most of our seeds are not pre-stratified. We ship them unstratified so you can control germination timing based on your local growing season. We sell to all 50 U.S. states and Canadian provinces, and since each region has different planting windows, pre-stratifying would risk seeds germinating in transit or before you're ready to plant.
True stratification requires cold, moist conditions, which can lead to premature sprouting or mold if not timed properly. To avoid this, we store most seeds in dry cold conditions to preserve viability — but this does not initiate stratification.
Do any of your seeds need to stay moist? (Recalcitrant seeds)
Yes — some species we offer are recalcitrant, meaning they must remain moist to stay viable and cannot be dried out. Examples include: Chestnut, Hazelnut, Paw Paw, etc.
These seeds are shipped in moist cold storage and are clearly labeled on the product page when applicable. Please refrigerate immediately upon arrival and follow included care instructions.
Do you ship internationally?
We currently ship to the United States and Canada only. Unfortunately, we cannot ship to other countries without a phytosanitary certificate, which is required by most international customs agencies.
If you're interested in shipping outside North America, please contact us. Note that a phytosanitary certificate typically adds $60–$80 USD per seed type and must be arranged in advance.
Shipping & What's Included
Shipping & What's Included
Shipping & Packaging
Hand-packed in resealable zipper kraft paper seed bags
Stratification and planting instructions included with every order
1 free bonus seed pack included with every order
Ships within 3–5 business days via USPS
Return Policy
Return Policy
Due to the nature of our products, we do not accept returns on seeds.
However, if your order arrives damaged or incorrect, please contact us within 7 days and we’ll make it right.
