Part 18

NOTES.--A favorite hedge plant. Useful for ornamental planting in shady situations.

1. Fruiting branchlet, × 1. 2. Tip of branchlet, enlarged. 3. Cone-scale with seeds, × 3.]

+PINACEAE+

+Arborvitae. White Cedar+

Thuja occidentalis L.

HABIT.--A tree 40-50 feet high, with a short, often buttressed trunk 1-2 feet in diameter, often divided into 2-3 secondary stems; forming a rather dense, wide-based, pyramidal crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, 4-ranked, scale-like, appressed; ovate, obtuse or pointed, keeled in the side pairs, flat in the others; 1/8-1/4 inch long; yellow-green, often becoming brown in winter; strongly aromatic when crushed. Persistent 1-2 years.

FLOWERS.--April-May; usually monoecious; the staminate minute, globose, yellow, composed of 4-6 stamens arranged oppositely on a short axis; the pistillate small, oblong, reddish, composed of 8-12 scales arranged oppositely on a short axis.

FRUIT.--Early autumn of first season, but persistent on the branch through the winter; erect, short-stalked, oblong-ovoid, pale brown cones, about 1/2 inch long, composed of 8-12 loose scales; seeds 1/8 inch long, ovate, acute, winged.

WINTER-BUDS.--Naked, minute.

BARK.--Twigs yellow-green, becoming light red, finally smooth, lustrous, dark orange-brown; thin, light red-brown on the trunk, slightly furrowed or deciduous in ragged strips.

WOOD.--Light, soft, brittle, rather coarse-grained, durable, fragrant, pale yellow-brown, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Throughout the Upper Peninsula, Lower Peninsula as far south as Montcalm County.

HABITAT.--Prefers moist soil in low swamps and along river-banks.

NOTES.--Slow of growth. Tolerant of all soils and exposures. Especially useful for hedges or narrow evergreen screens.

1. Branchlet with awl-shaped leaves, × 1. 2. Tip of branchlet, showing awl-shaped leaves, enlarged. 3. Fruiting branchlet with scale-like leaves, × 1. 4. Tip of branchlet, showing scale-like leaves, enlarged.]

+PINACEAE+

+Red Juniper. Red Cedar+

Juniperus virginiana L.

HABIT.--A medium-sized tree 30-40 feet high, with a trunk diameter of 1-2 feet; forming an irregular, pyramidal or rounded crown.

LEAVES.--Opposite, of two kinds: (1) sessile, scale-like, closely appressed, overlapping, 4-ranked, ovate, acute, 1/16 inch long, (2) sessile, awl-shaped, loosely arranged, 1/4-1/2 inch long. Persistent 5-6 years.

FLOWERS.--May; usually dioecious; minute; the staminate oblong-ovoid, composed of 4-6 shield-like scales, each bearing 4-5 yellow, globose pollen sacs; the pistillate ovoid, composed of about 3 pairs of flesh, bluish scales, united at the base and bearing 2 ovules.

FRUIT.--Autumn of first or second season; subglobose, berry-like strobile, about 1/4 inch in diameter, dark blue and glaucous; flesh sweet and resinous; seeds 2-3.

WINTER-BUDS.--Naked, minute.

BARK.--Twigs greenish to red-brown and smooth; thin, light red-brown on the trunk, exfoliating lengthwise into long, narrow, persistent strips, exposing the smooth, brown inner bark.

WOOD.--Light, soft, close-grained, brittle, weak, durable, very fragrant, dull red, with thin, whitish sapwood.

DISTRIBUTION.--Occurs sparingly throughout the state; most abundant in the southern portion.

HABITAT.--Prefers loamy soil on sunny slopes; dry, rocky hills; also borders of lakes and streams, peaty swamps.