Is it red or white? Actually, it is neither.
White cedar is the common name for Chamaecyparis thyoides, which is a formidable coastal conifer from Maine to Mississippi. 'Red Star' is a much smaller garden variety. Its finely textured foliage is bluish green when it first emerges in spring, and can turn slightly purplish or bronzed gray if it gets cold enough in winter, but never turns red.
In more humid climates, Red Star Atlantic white cedar can eventually reach second-story eaves, and can get half as broad. It rarely gets half as large locally, and can take quite a few years to do so. The slightly aromatic evergreen growth is densely conical, almost like a lumpy dwarf Alberta Spruce with an upwardly rounded underside. It can be a bit more sculptural if partially shaded.
Even without pruning, Red Star Atlantic white cedar is symmetrical enough for formal landscapes. Alternatively, it can add a bit of formality to relaxed landscapes. Although it is slow to provide privacy, it works nicely as an unshorn hedge. If somewhat crowded in a row, it grows taller faster. Shorn hedges lack natural form, but can recover their natural texture between shearing. --Â Tony Tomeo
