Eastern Red Cedar is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 9, shrugs off deer and shrugs off dry spells.
Zones
3-9
pH Range
4.7-8
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Eastern Red Cedar on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether eastern red cedar actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score eastern red cedar against your land's real conditions.
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See Eastern Red Cedar
What Eastern Red Cedar is
Eastern Red Cedar grows as a perennial and reaches around 45 feet at maturity. It blooms green in late spring. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Eastern Red Cedar
Eastern Red Cedar grows in USDA zones 3 through 9. Eastern Red Cedar does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 4.7 to 8. It needs about 800 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-9
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
4.7 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
Data pending
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
-43°F
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Mature Height
45 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Chill Hours
800+
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
0+
plant_species_v5.csv
Plant it right
Set eastern red cedar in full sun with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Eastern Red Cedar prefers pH 4.7 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — eastern red cedar isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Eastern Red Cedar isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Where Eastern Red Cedar thrives
Eastern Red Cedar is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–9·Where Eastern Red Cedar growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Eastern Red Cedar can grow in these states:
See if Eastern Red Cedar will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether eastern red cedar actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Eastern Red Cedar in my zone?
Eastern Red Cedar grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Eastern Red Cedar?
Set eastern red cedar out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Eastern Red Cedar need?
Eastern Red Cedar needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Eastern Red Cedar need?
Eastern Red Cedar prefers soil pH 4.7 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Eastern Red Cedar attract pollinators?
Eastern Red Cedar isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Is Eastern Red Cedar safe for pets?
Eastern Red Cedar is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.