Greetings from Mississippi! So pleased with the result of the Red Cedar tree that I purchased from you. I have meant to send you a message about four months ago, but it better be late than never. I'm sharing pictures of my trees here for you because I am so happy with the result. You are worth recommending! Alyssa Toscani - Biloxi, MS
Here is my review of Tennessee Wholesale and A Picture of my beautiful cedar trees
Cedar Tree
Cedar Tree, formally named Cedrus genus, is a coniferous tree in the plant family Pinaceae. The cedar was an essential part of ancient culture. They are native to the mountains of the western Himalayas and the Mediterranean region, but they thrive in other parts of the world with mild climates. Cedar includes four species - Deodar cedar, Atlas cedar, Cyprus cedar, and Lebanon cedar. These are the only true cedars.
Deodar cedar, slightly smaller and medium-shaped, grows to about fifty feet and has soft grayish-green or blue needles and drooping branches. The Atlas cedar is medium-sized, reaching up to 60 feet in height. The tree has a dark gray bark with fine, flat scales and blue-green to silvery blue evergreen needles, and it turns into a flat-topped tree with horizontal branching when fully grown. The Cyprian cedar is one of the rarest cedars, and it looks like a smaller version of the Lebanon cedar. In its native habitat, the Cyprian cedar tree grows up to about 80ft tall. The Lebanon cedar is a large tree that grows up to 130 feet tall. The shape is conical when still young but has a flat crown when fully grown. It has horizontal branches thus, creating an elegant, tiered silhouette. It has grayish-brown bark with short, dark green needles.
In the U.S., however, with cedar used to describe native trees, they are referred to as a group of conifers or "cone-bearing" trees that are fragrant woods, but these are actually "false" cedars. These trees are commonly known as Eastern redcedar, Western redcedar, and Northern white-cedar.
The Eastern redcedar or the Red Cedar tree is an evergreen or shrub from the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It is closely related to junipers in the genus Juniperus. It can grow up to 30 feet tall and has short, needle-like foliage with thin bark that often sheds into thin strips. It is also resistant to extremes of drought, heat, and cold. So wherever you stand on global warming, this is a plant that can take such conditions with aplomb.
The Western redcedar is an evergreen that belongs to the genus Thuja. It grows to about two hundred feet, with dense, drooping branches and a conical to the irregular crown. The Northern white-cedar is also from the genus Thuja. It is a medium-sized tree that grows up to 50 feet tall. It has gray to reddish-brown bark that shreds quickly with a conical to the pyramidical crown and spreading dense branches.
Because of their size, these sizeable coniferous evergreen trees are not regularly found in the gardens but can be seen lining the streets or in the parks. Often, people plant them for ornamental purposes. However, cedar trees are excellent windbreak, protecting other trees and plants from the wind and blocks snow. It also protects the soil from being eroded by water. In addition, they grow fast and can adapt to a wide range of climate zones.
Cedar trees are not that hard to grow. The trees start quickly from seed; however, it requires a forty-eight-hour soaking period and then another month in the refrigerator with some potting soil in a zip lock bag. The soil must be kept moist at this time. After a month, you can place the seeds paper cups with potting soil mixture and composts. As a recommendation, one should place cups in a sunny window. When they are six inches tall, plant the seeds outside and carefully find a sunny location. Best to plant trees at least five feet apart. Cedar trees give elegance to any space where they have room to spread. Water small trees regularly and allow them to dry out completely between each watering. If you live in a frigid climate, you can protect young trees covering landscape fabric.
When the cedar tree matures, care involves regular mulching and removal of dead or diseased branches.
There are not too many problems to deal with cedar trees except for several pesky insects. Animals attracted to cedar trees include the cypress tip moth, root weevil, mites, and juniper scale. A brown or yellow foliage, reduction of plant sap, white cocoons or black, sooty mold are the symptoms exhibited by cedar trees when infested with these insects. If the case is extreme, horticultural oil or an insecticide may be necessary to eliminate them and not damage the tree. But bear in mind that one of the scariest characteristics of cedar trees is their potential to add explosive fuel to wildfires. Studies found that cedar trees become a significant fire risk when drought is severe because of their oils.
The eastern redcedar should be a minimum of five hundred feet away from apple trees. It can be an alternative for cedar-apple rust, a fungal disease that causes severe leaf and fruit spot damage on apple trees. However, the condition would have a minor effect on the redcedar itself. Galls containing fungal spores appear as tiny, dimpled growths in sizes ranging from 0.375 inches to one inch in diameter, and warm spring rains trigger them to produce gelatinous protrusions called telial horns. These protrusions then dry up and fall off with the arrival of the dry weather but, by then, the rusted spores would be gone.
To conclude, the eastern redcedar is a native tree with many positive attributes that appeal as a woody plant in a modern landscape; at the same time, this plant could harm the other ecosystems if not managed well. And yet, for these reasons alone, this species deserves a place in the landscape, and in a controlled environment and the right setting, it is an asset worth having.
Ternnessee Wholesale Nursery Reviews are excellent- I've purchased plants from this online nursery for years.
Sue Ledbetter, Nebraska