Eastern Red Cedar, Pencil Cedar, Red Juniper (Juniperus virginiana) belongs to the Cypress family and is spread along the eastern North American Coast up to Florida. The common name Cedar refers to the wood's aromatic scent, but it is no true cedar wood. The fine-grained soft wood is purplish to rose-red with pale white to creamy sapwood, with characteristical streaks included like lighter coloured sapwood. The heartwood often contains large knots. It is fragrant, very light and very durable. Because the wood is naturally resistant to rot and is avoided by moths it is in demand as lining for clothes chests and closets. Today luxurious items like humidors and handcrafted objects are made from this versatile wood.
