James Burghardt
Family
Cupressaceae
Botanical Name
CHAMAECYPARIS thyoides 'Red Star'
Plant Common Name
Atlantic Whitecedar, Red Star Atlantic Whitecedar, Whitecedar Falsecypress
General Description
A selection of Atlantic white cedar, ‘Red Star’ has fine green needles that are blue when young and purpled bronze in winter's cold. It is a tidy, pyramidal small tree of wide adaptability, a trait of its parent, native to the coastal plains of the eastern United States from Maine to Florida and Mississippi. An evergreen conifer, ‘Red Star’ has reddish, gray-brown bark well hidden by the dense, prickly tufts of needles that have white bands on the undersides. Both male and female cones appear in late spring, and are small and rounded. The female cones become less rounded and more scaly as they ripen from dark purple to light sienna brown.
Grow 'Red Star' in moist, well-drained to soggy soils in full sunlight. It is great as an accent tree, or grouped in a windbreak or screen on the edge of a property, or as a large corner plant in a foundation bed.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
8 - 1
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USDA Hardiness Zone
3 - 8
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Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17
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Plant Type
Needled or Scaled Evergreen
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Height
15'-25' / 4.6m - 7.6m
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Width
10'-15' / 3.0m - 4.6m
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Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
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Native To
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Average
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Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Pyramidal
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Flower Color
Green
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Fruit Color
Green, Purple, Brown
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Blue Green, Dark Green, Steel Blue
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Dark Green, Steel Blue, Gray
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Gray Green, Dark Green, Gray
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Purple, Gray Green, Dark Green, Bronze
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Foliage Color (Winter) Modifier
SpottedMottled
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown, Sienna
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
Yes
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Fine
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Bark Texture
Smooth
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Usage
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
No