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Cedars and Junipers - Tree Leaf Key

A Quick and Easy Way to Identify 50 Common North American Trees

By Steve Nix, About.com

When you’re trying to identify a tree, looking at the leaves or needles can be a big help. If tree foliage is a scale-like leaf, then you’re probably dealing with a conifer or evergreen that is in the cedar or juniper family. To figure out which of these trees you’re looking at, take a look at the tree’s foliage, and match it up to the types identified below.

If you need to start over return to the Tree Key Start Page.

1. The Major Cedars

The Major Cedars
Does your tree have scalelike green sprays that are flattened into fan-like foliage? Does you tree have small cones or tiny pink flowers attached to the fan-like sprays? Remember that Eastern red cedar is actually a juniper. If so you probably have a cedar!

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2. The Major Junipers

Red Cedar
Does you tree have berrylike, bluish, glaucous, bloomy cones on tips of shoots? Some junipers carry spiny needlelike leaves. The adult tree shape is often narrowly columnar. Remember that Eastern red cedar is actually a juniper. If so you probably have a juniper!

  • Eastern Red Cedar
  • Utah Juniper
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