Yardadori Random Junipers in MD

[W3rk]

Only just recently over the last year or two I've started to notice a few random spiky bits growing in and around my yard. They are all very small and young, this weekend I decided to dig up and pot a couple that were just going to get mowed in the middle of the lawn.

For available species in my area I can't tell if they are J. Virginiana/Eastern Red Cedar (I've seen all of the discussion stating that this is bad material for a number of reasons). or if they are J. Communis/Common Juniper. Both are the only potential native species likely in Maryland. I want to say that they look like Common Juniper but I'm more on the fringe of their range and not really familiar with either variety.

Any thoughts on their ID?

 

[just.wing.it]

Most likely ERC
Eastern Red Cedar

 

[Lynn E]

ERC and a notorious host of rust. Best collected by the garbageman.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Communis doesn't change foliage type, so if you can find those near you in the wild they'll be easy to recognize.
ERC would change foliage to adult scales.

The left one gives off a communis vibe, but it's hard to tell at that age.

I would personally go for a walk and have a look at what you can find growing near you. If it's all communis, then it's most likely communis. If it's ERC, then its most likely that.

 

[rockm]

Those are BOTH ERC without a doubt.

ERC IS a juniper species (juniperus virginiana). It is the most common by far of any juniper species in this region. It is prolific and grows everywhere around here.

ERC is an extremely crummy bonsai subject.

 

[W3rk]

Those are BOTH ERC without a doubt.

ERC IS a juniper species (juniperus virginiana). It is the most common by far of any juniper species in this region. It is prolific and grows everywhere around here.

ERC is an extremely crummy bonsai subject.

Yeah that's why I wanted to try to get an ID. I've seen all of the discussion about problems with ERC. I haven't seen any native full grown ones around me, yet. There are some homes in this area with some Juniper in their landscaping, but they mostly look like procumbens nana, blue rug, and maybe blue star.

But it certainly seems like there is a parent ERC not too far away given the way these have been popping up in my yard recently.

Thanks to all for the ID feedback.

 

[rockm]

Yeah that's why I wanted to try to get an ID. I've seen all of the discussion about problems with ERC. I haven't seen any native full grown ones around me, yet. There are some homes in this area with some Juniper in their landscaping, but they mostly look like procumbens nana, blue rug, and maybe blue star.

But it certainly seems like there is a parent ERC not too far away given the way these have been popping up in my yard recently.

Thanks to all for the ID feedback.

You've seen full grown ERC if you've been living around here for more than 10 minutes. It is everywhere. You haven't learned how to "see" it in the landscape yet. It's there. Mature trees are all reddish green yellow triangles of foliage attached to tall straight boring trunks. Even extremely old ERC have little of the character you'd expect an old tree to have.


BTW those landscape junipers are better material, but they're not easy to get out alive if they have trunks worth the trouble of digging them up.

 

[rockm]

This is what it generally looks like