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Juniperus virginiana - L.

Pencil Cedar

Author	L.	Botanical references	11, 43, 200
Family	Cupressaceae	Genus	Juniperus
Synonyms
Known Hazards	All parts of the plant might be toxic[4, 222].
Range	Central and Eastern N. America from Canada south to Georgia and Texas.
Habitat	Dry, rarely wet, open woods and rock slopes, often on limestone[43]. Infertile soils and old pastures[222].
Edibility Rating	2 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	2 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

An evergreen Tree growing to 20m by 8m at a slow rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Canopy; Ground Cover;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Edible Uses: Tea.

Fruit - raw or cooked[106]. A sweetish resinous flesh[82]. They can be crushed and used as a flavouring in soups and stews[257]. The cones are about 5mm in diameter[200]. About 10mm according to another report[226]. A tea is made from the fruit[159]. It is not very nice[159]. It is made from the young branchlets and the fruit according to one report[183].

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Abortifacient; Anthelmintic; Antiseptic; Aromatherapy; Cancer; Diaphoretic; Diuretic; Emmenagogue; Rubefacient; Stimulant.

Pencil cedar leaves were much used medicinally by the native N. American Indians, and also in folk medicine by the white settlers, especially to treat chest complaints and skin problems such as venereal warts and other excrescences[269]. The leaves are anthelmintic, diuretic, rubefacient and stimulant[4, 257]. A decoction has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds, general weakness and as a medicine for convalescents[257]. The berries are anthelmintic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue and mildly antiseptic[4, 213, 222, 257]. They have been chewed as a treatment for mouth ulcers[213, 257] or made into a tea to treat colds, rheumatism, worms etc[222, 257]. The fresh young twigs are used as a diuretic[213]. An infusion has been used both internally and as a steam bath in the treatment of rheumatism[257]. The essential oil from the wood is an abortifacient, in some cases it has caused vomiting, convulsions, coma and death[4, 213]. The plant is said to contain the anticancer compound podophyllotoxin[222]. The essential oil from the berries is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Composing'[210].

Other Uses

Essential; Ground cover; Incense; Insecticide; Repellent; Shelterbelt; Tinder; Wood.

An essential oil is obtained from the wood[1, 46, 57, 61]. Composed of cedar camphor or cedrol[213], it is used in soaps, as an insecticide and moth repellent[61, 213], a deodorant, in polishes, perfumery etc[4, 21]. Chips of the wood have been used as moth repellents[269]. The leaves are used as an incense[46, 213] and are also either burnt or crushed and then scattered around as an insect repellent[169, 257]. The crushed bark can be used as a soft base in cradles[257]. The bark has also been cut into strips and used to make mats[257, 269]. The red inner bark is a source of a red dye[269]. The bark of the tree is useful as tinder in starting fires Boy Scout style[269]. Some cultivars of this tree are suitable for ground cover when spaced about 90cm apart each way[208]. 'Tripartita' and 'Chamberlaynii' have been recommended[208]. A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting[200]. Wood - very durable, light, brittle, soft, easily worked, very fragrant, insect-resistant[1, 46, 82, 171, 227]. The wood does not shrink much on drying and weighs 30lb per cubic foot[227]. The reddish wood is highly prized for cabinet making[226], it is also used for fencing, the casing of lead pencils etc[1, 46, 82, 171].

Scented Plants

Plant: Crushed

The crushed foliage has an aroma like soap or paint. The wood is also fragrant.

Cultivation details

Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil[1, 11] and succeeding on chalk[200]. Established plants are drought tolerant, succeeding in hot dry positions[200]. They are also fairly wind-resistant[200]. A very ornamental and hardy plant[1]. It is very slow growing[4] and apparently short-lived in Britain[185], though it is very long-lived in its native environment[226]. Another report says that plants live to a moderate age of 200 - 350 years in the wild[229]. Cultivated as a timber tree in some parts of C. and S. Europe[50] and used as a Christmas tree in parts of N. America[269], there are some named forms, selected for their ornamental value[200]. Closely related to J. scopulorum, it hybridizes with that species where their ranges overlap[226]. The main difference between the two species is that the fruits of this plant mature in one year whilst those of J. scopulorum take two years[226]. This species often hybridizes with other members of the genus. The crushed foliage has an aroma like soap or paint[185]. Plants are resistant to honey fungus[88]. In America this tree is a host of a gall-like rust that at certain stages in its life-cycle also attacks the leaves of apple trees[149]. Plants are usually dioecious, though trees with both male and female flowers are occasionally found[229]. Male and female plants must usually be grown if seed is required.

Propagation

The seed requires a period of cold stratification. The seed has a hard seedcoat and can be very slow to germinate, requiring a cold period followed by a warm period and then another cold spell, each of 2 - 3 months duration[78, 81]. Soaking the seed for 3 - 6 seconds in boiling water may speed up the germination process[11]. The seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Some might germinate in the following spring, though most will take another year. Another possibility is to harvest the seed 'green' (when the embryo has fully formed but before the seedcoat has hardened). The seedlings can be potted up into individual pots when they are large enough to handle. Grow on in pots until large enough, then plant out in early summer. When stored dry, the seed can remain viable for several years[1]. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn[1, 78]. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months[78].

Cultivars

'Chamberlaynii'

This cultivar is suitable for growing as a ground cover plant when spaced about 90cm apart each way[208].

'Tripartita'

A form with a low, spreading habit[11], it is suitable for growing as a ground cover plant when spaced about 90cm apart each way[208].

Links

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[50] ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man. 0
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[81] Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X
Deals with conifers that can be grown outdoors in Britain. Good notes on cultivation and a few bits about plant uses.

[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.

[88] RHS. The Garden. Volume 112. Royal Horticultural Society 1987
Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS. In particular, there are articles on plants that are resistant to honey fungus, oriental vegetables, Cimicifuga spp, Passiflora species and Cucurbits.

[106] Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975 ISBN 0-87857-090-x
Interesting reading but short on detail.

[149] Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987 ISBN 0-292-78958-3
Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.

[159] McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
A nice pocket guide to this region of America.

[169] Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden. 0
Covers all aspects of growing your own clothes, from fibre plants to dyes.

[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[185] Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975 ISBN 0-11-710012-9
A bit out of date (first published in 1972), but an excellent guide to how well the various species of conifers grow in Britain giving locations of trees.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[208] Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
An excellent detailled book on the subject, very comprehensive.

[210] Westwood. C. Aromatherapy - A guide for home use. Amberwood Publishing Ltd 1993 ISBN 0-9517723-0-9
An excellent little pocket guide. Very concise.

[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.

[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.

[226] Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. 1989 ISBN 0889025649
Very good on identification for non-experts, the book also has a lot of information on plant uses.

[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.

[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.

[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.

[269] Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of plants.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Juniperus virginiana

ALICE COVINGTON Sat Apr 15 2006

I AM RESEARCHING MEDICINAL/EATABLE HERBS NATIVE TO FLORIDA, AND I FOUND YOUR WEBSITE QUITE USEFUL. LOTS OF INFO, AND REFERENCES AS WELL. THANKS, I WILL VISIT QUITE OFTEN I AM SURE.

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