Eastern Red Cedar
Common Name: Aromatic Red Cedar, Red Juniper
Botanical Name: Juniperus virginiana
Indigenous to: Eastern North America
Aromatic Red Cedar has a distinct and tell-tale scent: the wood is commonly used in closets and chests to repel moths and other insects.
Although Aromatic Red Cedar is included in the cypress family (Cupressaceae) which includes many species of cedar, it’s perhaps more closely related to junipers in the genus Juniperus. In tree form, it is more commonly called Eastern Redcedar, while the wood itself is usually referred to as Aromatic Red Cedar.
Heartwood tends to be reddish or violet-brown. Sapwood is a pale yellow color and can appear throughout the heartwood as streaks and stripes. Red Cedar also has a straight grain, usually with knots present. This wood has a very fine, even, texture.