Juniperus virginiana 'Idyllwild' (Eastern Red Cedar)
- Low stock - 5 items left
- Inventory on the way
Juniperus virginiana 'Idyllwild' is a well-regarded eastern red cedar cultivar which offers an attractive and columnar growth habit up to 15-25' feet tall, but only 3-4' wide, making it a great medium sized juniper for hedges, privacy screens, or foundation planting. With its feathery green needle-like foliage, 'Idyllwild' junipers lend elegance, texture, and upright appeal to the landscape, but this cultivar is much more hardy than its delicate looks would suggest. Juniperus virginiana is tolerant of poor, dry soils including especially rocky sites and even those polluted with black walnut phytochemicals; 'Idyllwild' is additionally resistant to both drought and soil erosion, with its dense, fibrous roots making it a great addition to breezy sites as a wind-break.
As a dioecious plant, male redcedars will produce pollen cones through the spring and summer while female plants produce berry-like structures in the late summer and fall; 'Idyllwild' is not commonly noted as either male or female, and is typically grown for its foliage. That said, the crop at Unity as of 2025 is all female, acting as an important off-season food source for foraging birds, and their even foliage makes them perfect for grouping to form a border hedge where birds can nest and find plenty of shelter from the elements. While junipers don't produce flowers, these trees make an excellent addition for pollinator garden borders, where butterfly larvae can feed on their foliage. 'Idyllwild' junipers are not at all picky about soil type, as long as their sites are relatively dry and well draining, and these trees make for an excellent native inclusion in a variety of garden and landscape locations.