Recognize these two young trees rising out of this meadow? They
are eastern red cedars, one of the most despised, reviled, and neglected
trees in the commercial nursery trade. Just try to buy one - good
luck - you are likely to get strange looks and be told that they
are a "weed tree." They also happen to be my pick as the
most important, beautiful, and interesting trees native to the eastern
United States. EVERY garden should have at least two if not more
of these great plants. PLEASE - the next time you want to plant
a Leyland Cypress, resist the temptation and plant one of these
beauties instead (if you can find one).
Their small fruits are an important winter food for birds, like
bluebirds, who rely upon an abundant supply of berries to make it
through the winter months, when insects, their preferred food, lie
dormant and unavailable. Also, they are the single most important
tree to hummingbirds, who find shelter within the thick foliage
of needles, where they can perch and sleep safely out of view of
predators.
