Old and big Virginia juniper in MD

2 years ago

Big ol' Virginia juniper (erroneously called red cedar) in St Michaels, MD. Lots of them in Washington County, MD, with its numerous limestone soils.

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bengz6westmd
Original Author

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Yes, David, on the eastern shore. In Wash Co, MD, they can be seen in almost pure patches where there are limestone outcrops (and the resultant high pH soil). Below is an old pic of a J. virginana I took w/one of them thar new-fangled digital cameras in Columbia, MD. Looks like a miniature sequoia.

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Comments (15)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
2 years ago
One of the better ones I’ve seen.

tj
bengz6westmd thanked tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
maackia
2 years ago
Nice find. They are so slow growing that when you find one that big, you know it has been around for a long time.
bengz6westmd thanked maackia
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BillMN-z4a
2 years ago
Biggest one I've ever seen.

Thanks!
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L Clark (zone 4 WY)
2 years ago
Fantastic
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laceyvail 6A, WV
2 years ago
Beautiful. They grow all over here, but I've never seen one like that.
bengz6westmd thanked laceyvail 6A, WV
UpperBayGardener (zone 7)
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
That's a nice tree.

Just to be sure, you mean the St. Michaels on the Eastern Shore, right? Since you mention Washington County in the next sentence, I wondered if you were referring to a minor St. Michaels in the mountains.
bengz6westmd thanked UpperBayGardener (zone 7)
BillMN-z4a
last year
3-4-2025:

Been seeing this J.v. for years in my town. Just now stopped to take a picture.

Looks like it's been cropped at the top but don't know why.

Around 2ft diameter trunk. Largest I've ever seen this far north in MN.
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mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
last year
IME, they are prone to losing their tops from storm damage.
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bengz6westmd
Original Author
last year
One of the largest ranges of any N American tree.
BillMN-z4a
last year
Yes, its native range stops on its west side right where Juniperus scopulorum begins. I understand they are similar species.

I'm 100 miles north of J.v. native range but they are everywhere in this area and further north and west.
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BillMN-z4a
last year
last modified: last year
Let's not forget J. silicicola called 'Southern red-cedar'. Covers the SE coastal area.

And there are so many others:

To name a few:

Juniperus monosperma - One seed Juniper.

Interactive Juniperus occidentalis - Western juniper

Interactive Juniperus osteosperma - Utah juniper.

Interactive Juniperus pinchotii - Pinchot juniper.

Some will hybridize with J. scopulorum.
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L Clark (zone 4 WY)
last year
You forgot Utah juniper!
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BillMN-z4a
last year
I did? Look above. Been there all along. ;-)
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maackia
last year
last modified: last year
I ran across this Utah Juniper (J. osteosperma) while hiking at Arches. They seem to grow wider than tall and can live more than 1000 years. This one must be a few centuries old.
bengz6westmd thanked maackia