Species library · Plants & herbs

Foraging Eastern Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

Typically in season from September to November in the northern hemisphere. Found in Scrub & hedgerows, Woodland edges, Heath & moor. Has toxic lookalikes, so check carefully.

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Photo: (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · iNaturalist

When Eastern Red Cedar is in season

Typical window in the northern hemisphere, peak September to November. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset, and your own timing depends on local weather, so check your town.

→ Everything in season to forage in September

Where it grows

Eastern Red Cedar is usually found in Scrub & hedgerows, Woodland edges, Heath & moor.

⚠ Look-alikes & safety

Deadly look-alikes: European yew, Canadian yew, Savin juniper. Only forage with a confident ID.

Take Eastern Red Cedar into the field

Open Eastern Red Cedar in the Forage app for its full field guide entry with more photos, key features and toxic lookalikes to check against. Add it to your watchlist and the app pings you the moment it comes into season at your exact spot, worked out from live weather, elevation and billions of occurrence records.

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Eastern Red Cedar: common questions

When is Eastern Red Cedar in season?

Eastern Red Cedar is generally in season from September to November in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather. Check the Season Finder for your own location.

Where does Eastern Red Cedar grow?

Eastern Red Cedar is usually found in Scrub & hedgerows, Woodland edges, Heath & moor.

Is Eastern Red Cedar safe to forage?

Deadly look-alikes: European yew, Canadian yew, Savin juniper. Only forage with a confident ID. Never eat any wild plant, berry, nut or mushroom unless you are completely certain of the identification. Check every find against a reliable field guide, and when in doubt, don't.

One note before you head out

Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.

Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits