Christmas tree by early Hoosiers, I asked Laura several years ago if I could cut a cedar for our tree at home.
“ Oh, yes,” she replied.“ Come and take several. We want to have more of an open pasture.”
Somewhat unconventional in shape and size, I was met with puzzled looks as I dragged the tree from the truck. It was tall and fully branched but admittedly, not the look of balsams, firs, or pines we had in previous years.“ That’ s our Christmas tree?” asked our youngest son, Kurt.“ Yea, it’ ll be great,” I offered, but knew it may take some getting used to. By morning I knew I made a good choice. The aroma from the needles that greeted us was a selling point.
Decorating that first cedar, and those since, usually reveals some kind of tightly hidden bird nest.
Twelve species of juniper grow in the US and are important to wildlife. They provide protective and nesting cover. Chipping sparrows, robins, song sparrows, and mockingbirds use these trees as favorite nesting sites. In winter, the dense protective shelter is especially valuable.
The young twigs and foliage are eaten extensively by hooved browsers, but the chief attraction to wildlife is the bluish-black, berrylike fruit. The fleshy berries are small, about a quarter-inch long, and only occur on older trees. They are fragrant when crushed, smell like dry gin, and are used in its processing. The blue cluster on top of green branches can give a festive look to winter wreaths and centerpieces.
Cedar waxwings are one of the principal users of berries, but numerous other birds and mammals— both large and small— make these fruits an important part of their diet. Any detriment to its presence? Yes, as apple growers know, it is an alternative host
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