How to Tell the Difference Between Cedars and Junipers

Cedars and junipers are two groups of trees.

Both cedars and junipers are conifers. Conifers are cone-bearing trees that have needles or scale-like leaves, and they’re an important part of the ecosystem because they provide food and shelter for a variety of birds and other wildlife. They also make excellent landscaping plants. Cedars and junipers may even be growing in your own backyard!

Cedars include both true cedars (of the eastern United States) and western red cedar trees. Cedars are often thought of as stately, large evergreen trees, but some varieties can grow to be quite small. While there are many different varieties of cedar, most have a columnar shape with a main trunk topped by bushy foliage, although some types spread more than others. The bark is usually grayish brown in color with deep ridges running vertically up the trunk. The needles can be needle-like or scale-like depending on the variety, and they’re generally bright green year-round although some varieties turn orangey yellow in fall before dropping off.

Cedars and junipers are very different from each other.

Look closely at the leaves of a juniper, and you’ll see that they are shaped like fans. When combined with their long, thin needles and cone-like shape, it’s easy to see why people often mistake them for cedars. The trees look much alike in person as well. I’ve seen many a family walking away from a juniper thinking that they’d purchased a cedar tree only to have the whole thing fall over when the wind blew just right.

Cedars and junipers are not interchangeable though. They can be very different trees inhabiting very different climates, growing in similar places (some even grow near each other), but under very different conditions and in different ways.

Both cedars and junipers fall under the umbrella of “coniferous evergreen”

Cedars and junipers are two groups of coniferous evergreens, which is an umbrella term for trees that have cones and whose leaves stay green all year long. Coniferous means “cone-bearing.” Cedars and junipers are often mistaken for one another. In this article, we’ll look at some key ways you can tell the difference between cedars and junipers so that you can be confident in your identification abilities.

Cedars can survive in many climates, while junipers like drier environments.

• Cedars can survive in many climates, while junipers like drier environments.
• The cones of cedars are soft and woody and the scales fall off once the seeds have formed. The cones of junipers are hard and fleshy and tend to stay on the tree for a long time.

The wood of both cedars and junipers is commonly used by humans.

• Both cedars and junipers are used in construction, furniture making, boat building, and aromatic oils.
• The wood of these trees is durable and fragrant. Because it is lightweight and holds up well to rot, it has been used for centuries in the construction of boats. It has also been used as a furniture material since ancient times, particularly in Egypt where cedar was highly prized because of its beauty and longevity.

Cedar wood is classic, while juniper is considered trendy.

Cedar wood is classic, while juniper is considered trendy. Cedar is often used in traditional cabinetry, chests, and older homes. Juniper, on the other hand, is often used in modern furniture and crafts. The use of juniper as a more costly substitute has resulted in the unfortunate practice of falsely labeling cedarwood furniture as “juniper” (or vice versa) in order to increase its value.

While cedars and junipers share some similarities, there are a number of key differences between them.

Cedars and junipers have a number of key differences. Firstly, cedars are found in many climates, while junipers are native to more arid regions. Cedars like to grow in environments that are humid, while junipers thrive in drier conditions. If you live near a body of water, there’s a good chance that the coniferous evergreen trees you see there are cedars rather than junipers.

Secondly, cedar and juniper branches do not appear the same when viewed from underneath or above. Cedar branches grow straight up from the trunk, while those of the juniper branch out sideways in a flat plane. This means that if you were to view the tree from above looking down on it, the two would look quite different: juniper branches would form almost a perfect circle around its trunk, whereas cedar branches would be less orderly and possibly asymmetrical depending on how crowded they were.