Sustainable Landscaping at School

Commercial Landscaping with Native Plants

The Lakewood Board of Education in Lakewood, N.J. recently contacted Lincoln Landscaping about their need for a landscape screening along a perimeter at the Lakewook Middle School. Because of the specifications presented to us we chose Eastern Red Cedars to plant within this area. This species of plant will provide a screening for many years to come. Depending if it is in its natural habitat, the Eastern Red Cedar, ) Cupressaceae Juniperus virginiana) can live between 100 years to about 300 years.

Juniperus virginiana, commonly called Eastern red cedar, is a broadly conical, sometimes columnar, dense, evergreen conifer with horizontal branching that typically grows to 30-65’ tall. This tree grows at a medium rate, with height increases of 13–24″ per year. The eastern redcedar grows in acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well-drained and clay soils. The tree can withstand occasional flooding yet has good drought tolerance. Its gray- to reddish-brown bark exfoliates in thin shreddy strips on mature trees. Its trunks are often fluted at the base.

The Red Cedar has many important uses within its ecosystem. One of the most important is that it provides a safe home for many different birds. Eastern redcedar twigs and foliage are eaten by browsers while the fruit is eaten most extensively by cedar waxwings. Evergreen foliage provides nesting and roosting cover for sparrows, robins, mockingbirds, juncos and warblers It also provides shelter for land dwelling aminals when it rains becasue of the coverage the foliage creates. This tree also provides food for birds and deer with the berries it produces. Due to the root system, this is one of the best plants to protect soil from erosion. The significance of this is it allows smaller and younger plants to grow in enriched, protected soil. The bark of the Red Cedar is used to make many different fragrances, such as essential oils.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Leaf: The leaf of Juniperus virginiana is a long skiny leaf that is needle-like. It is qualified as having Evergreen leaves. What this means is there are usually two types, a green leaf that about 1/14 of an inch and a much larger blue thistle that is about 3x the size of the green leaf in length. The leaf, at the tip, is rounded a somewhat spongy to the touch. Leaves come out in a whorl and are sub-opposite.
Flower | Seeds: The majority of these plants are dioecious, which means that each plant is either a male or female. Male flowers are small yellow spers of pollen. The female flowers are typically small and light blue. The berry and seeds are edible and turn a solid blue and rarely exceed 8cm long. The Red Cedar flowers in early spring and matures into a berry by late fall.
Trunk | Bark: The Bark is a deep red-brown. This tree has a tendency to “shed” its outerbark, and the color underneath is more of a dull grey. The bark is very sturdy and has been crafted into small shelters and also small furniture.
Life span: Depending if it is in its natural habitat, the Red Cedar can live between 100 years to about 300 years.

Lincoln Landscaping

THE NATURAL CHOICE

At Lincoln Landscaping cultivating the environment is our life and livelihood. It is our number one goal to help our clients create and maintain beautiful landscapes while reducing the impact on the environment. Whether you are interested in a pollinator landscape garden design and build or other landscaping or property management project; we can create for you an environmentally friendly, organic and beautiful property.

Leave us a review on GOOGLE and tell us how we did……