BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Juniperus silicicola | Southern Redcedar 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Southern redcedar is a native, dioecious evergreen tree.  The average
height in secondary forests is 30 to 50 feet (9-15 m) [31,36,39].  The
Texas champion tree is 75 feet tall [31].  Some of the virgin redcedar
stands along the Apalachee Bay in Florida may have been over 100 feet
tall (30 m).  It is possible that second-growth forests of this
slow-growing, long-lived species have not yet reached mature height
[36,39].  When southern redcedar is grown in the open, the branches
spread to form a broad irregular crown, with the upper branches erect
and the lower branches pendulous.  In more crowded stands, southern
redcedar tends to have a more symmetrical, narrow, pointed crown [36].
As are other junipers, southern redcedar is aromatic [36].  The bark of
southern redcedar is thin and shreddy [36,39].  The mature ovulate cones
are berrylike and bright blue [29].  The root system is shallow [31].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Phanerophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Sexual reproduction:  The seeds of southern redcedar have dormant
embryos; germination may be delayed until the second or third spring
after seeds are mature [3].  Cold stratification hastens germination; it
is also likely that scarification by passage through animal digestive
tracts is also effective [39].  Data on frequency of good seed crops are
lacking.  Eastern redcedar is known to produce some seeds every year,
with irregular heavy seed crops; it is likely that southern redcedar
behaves in a similar fashion.  Seed dispersal is usually by birds.
Cleaned seeds average from 37,000 to 55,000 per pound
(81,600-121,300/kg) [18,39].

Eastern redcedar is reported as a nonsprouting species; southern
redcedar is probably similar, although Godfrey [12] mentions sprouting
of young trees after injury.


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Southern redcedar almost always occurs within 30 miles (50 km) of
seawater or in areas with shallow water tables [31,39].  Although it
usually occurs on sandy, moist but not saturated soils, it occasionally
occurs on acidic clay soils in Texas [31,39].  Southern redcedar may be
found on soil types that include Alfisols, Entisols, Inceptisols,
Spodosols, and Ultisols [39].  Southern redcedar occurs on calcareous
hammocks, coastal hammocks, brackish flats, shell middens, dunes,
bluffs, and secondary woods, and will colonize dredge spoil islands
[4,5,6,39].  Southern redcedar is found inland in river swamps and along
stream and creek margins in low woods [36].

Southern redcedar is abundant in hydric hammock communities in Florida,
most often occurring with cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto) and live oak
in areas between pine flatwoods and freshwater marshes [35].

Southern redcedar occurs in oak (Quercus virginiana, Q. marilandica)
scrub and in live oak forests that are established on the backdunes of
barrier islands off the east coast of the Florida peninsula [19].

Overstory associates not listed in Distribution and Occurrence include
spruce pine (Pinus glabra), live oak, laurel oak (Quercus laurifolia),
southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), American holly (Ilex opaca)
[21,39].  Understory associates include yaupon (Ilex vomitoris),
southern bayberry (Myrica cerifera), devilwood (Osmanthus americanus),
Carolina laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana), beautyberry (Callicarpa
americana), bumelia (Bumelia spp.), tree sparkleberry (Vaccinium
arboreum), muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia), and greenbriers (Smilax
spp.) [39].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Southern redcedar is classified as intolerant to very intolerant of
shade, although it can become established in partial shade.  The dense
shade of hardwoods may retard reestablishment of cedar-dominated
maritime forests [39].  Southern redcedar tends to occur in open forests
or on sand dunes where light is not limiting.

Southern redcedar is not an early colonizer of sand dunes; it is usually
found in established dune communities such as oak scrub or live oak,
inland of the foredunes [19].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Southern redcedar pollen is shed from staminate cones in January and
February; ovulate conelets are pollinated at this time and mature slowly
through the spring and summer.  Ovulate conelets are mature by October
to November of their first year; conelets persist into winter, but most
are eaten by birds [5,6,12,39].  Seeds are dormant and germination of
seeds occurs in the spring, although it may be delayed 2 to 3 years
[39].

Related categories for Species: Juniperus silicicola | Southern Redcedar