The Red Cedar: a Resilient and Adaptive Urban Pioneer

"Actually a juniper, the Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is a native with a mission. It is one of a diverse group of plants known as pioneer species," writes Dave Taft for the New York Times.

"Shade intolerant, the red cedar is happiest as the first woody plant to put down roots in the dry, sun-drenched soils of abandoned lots, railroad crossings and rocky road shoulders. It is an early sign that ecological succession is leading a field through shrubbiness to eventual woodland."

And for a lesson in adaptation: "The red cedar adapts to the changes it creates, frequently surviving to reach an impressive old age." In fact, explains Taft, a red cedar found deep inside a forest often indicates that the area has recovered from an agricultural past.

The article includes more on what makes the red cedar strong and beautiful.