Southern Redcedar (Juniperus silicicola)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −12.2 °C
Cultivation
Succeeds in most soils if they are well drained, preferring a neutral or slightly alkaline soil. This species is only hardy in the milder areas of the country, requiring a warm sunny sheltered position. A very ornamental tree, it is a slow-growing but long-lived tree in the wild. Closely related to J. virginiana. This species often hybridizes with other members of the genus. The crushed foliage has an aroma like soap or paint. Plants are resistant to honey fungus. Plants are dioecious, male and female plants must 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. Cuttings of mature wood, 5 - 10cm with a heel, September/October in a cold frame. Plant out in the following autumn. Layering in September/October. Takes 12 months.
Edible uses
Fruit - raw or cooked. A thin, sweetish resinous flesh, the cones are about 7 - 10mm in diameter and have a thin skin.
Medicinal uses
The leaves are analgesic, antirheumatic, diuretic and febrifuge. The following reports are for the closely related J. virginiana, they probably also apply to this species. The leaves are anthelmintic, diuretic, rubefacient and stimulant. The berries are anthelmintic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue and mildly antiseptic. The fresh young twigs are used as a diuretic. The essential oil from the wood is an abortifacient, in some cases it has caused vomiting, convulsions, coma and death. The plant is said to contain the anticancer compound podophyllotoxin. The essential oil from the berries is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Composing'.
Material uses
Wood - straight-grained, very durable, light, brittle, soft, easily worked, very fragrant, insect-resistant. The following reports are for the closely related J. virginiana, they probably also apply to this species. An essential oil is obtained from the wood. The leaves are used as an incense. The crushed bark can be used as a soft base in cradles. Some cultivars of this tree are suitable for ground cover when spaced about 90cm apart each way. A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting.
Habitat
Low wet areas of swamps, stream and creek margins and flood-plain woodlands. Tolerating varying levels of soil moisture, it also grows in open woods and abandoned fields, usually on limestone.
Native range
South-eastern N. America - South Carolina to Texas.