What is the difference between cedar and mountain cedar?
What is the difference between cedar and mountain cedar?
Mountain cedar is a tree with a common name full of contradictions. The tree is not a cedar at all, and its native range is central Texas, not known for its mountains. What is mountain cedar? In fact, trees called mountain cedar are actually ashe juniper trees.
How do you identify mountain cedar?
How to Identify Cedar Trees. Cedars are evergreen trees that can be identified by their needles, cones and bark. Cedars have bluish-green needles, growing in groups along woody branches. Another identification feature of true cedar trees is their large, barrel-like cones that grow upward on branches rather than dangle.
Is mountain cedar a tree or bush?
Mountain cedar, also known by its Latin name Juniperus ashei, is a drought tolerant native evergreen tree that causes winter/spring allergen in Texas. Although it is common in Mexico, in the USA, it is primarily found in Texas. The name Mountain Cedar originated from its highest density in the Hill Country area.
What is the difference between juniper and mountain cedar?
The differences between cedar and juniper trees. “True cedars have needles,” McGreevy said, while juniper leaves have scales on them. “They’re like little tiny, overlapping scales.” True cedars also have small wooden cones, while female juniper trees have berries.
Why is it called mountain cedar?
Even though these trees are commonly called “Mountain Cedar”, they are not Cedar trees! When the first Europeans saw them they thought they resembled the Cedar trees of Europe and the name stuck. However, the trees are actually Ashe Junipers, part of the Cypress family of trees.
How fast do mountain cedars grow?
In ideal conditions, a cedar tree will grow about 25 inches per year. However, it’s common for cedars to only grow 12 to 15 inches yearly. It largely depends on the variety of cedar and growing conditions. High temperatures can impede growth as well.
How do you tell the difference between a cedar tree and a pine tree?
The needles on pine trees tend to be softer and not as thick and pointy as the needles on cedar trees. If the needles are longer and easily bendable when you touch them, that means it is most likely a pine tree. As there are many different species of pine trees, the size of the tree at maturity depends on the species.
Where is mountain cedar found in the US?
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, the Juniperus ashei, more commonly known as mountain cedar, is found in over 8.6 million acres in Texas, Arkansas, and Missouri but mainly concentrated in central and south Texas.
What tree is best for privacy?
Top 10 Trees for a Natural Privacy Fence
- Eastern Redcedar. For a large, rugged privacy tree that provides full coverage, the Eastern Redcedar is the conifer for you.
- Hybrid Willow Tree.
- Leyland Cypress.
- Spartan Juniper.
- Sky Pencil Holly.
- Green Giant Thuja (Arborvitae)
- Emerald Green Thuja (Arborvitae)
- Flowering Dogwood.
How far apart do I plant cedar trees?
Planting a Cedar Hedge When using cedars as a hedge, space each plant 2-3ft apart (from the trunks). Add an extra foot between plants for ‘Excelsa’. Dig the holes for your plants. Make sure the planting hole is at least twice the width of the rootballs and the same depth, or slightly shallower.
What is the difference between a cedar tree and a juniper tree?
Eastern Red Cedar is very closely related to the Common Juniper, in fact they are in the same genus. The key obvious difference is that Juniper seldom grows as a tree, whereas Red Cedar nearly always does.
