Happy Mystery Monday! Can you guess what is pictured in photo #1?
The answer to last week’s mystery is Eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana, pictured in photo #2.
While technically not a true cedar, Eastern red cedar is a juniper, and gets its name from its reddish heartwood.
The red, aromatic wood is used for chests, closets, interior finish, posts, pencils, and other objects. An oil from the resin is used for ointments, soaps, and to flavor gin.
Eastern red cedars are a favorite traditional Christmas tree in many homes.
Compared to other edible berries, Eastern red cedar berries take 3 years to mature. They’re considered ready to pick when they’re a darker blue. They do have a waxy white, protective coating, which can rub off to reveal a deeper color underneath.
Seeds that have traveled through the digestive tract of waxwings and other birds have a higher germination rate than those that have not.
Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.
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