Juniper, Pencil Cedar, Kenya Cedar, Virginian Juniper, Eastern Red Cedar

Names and distribution: The genus Juniperus is native to three continents: Africa, Europe and (North) America. In Europe, the tree-sized junipers are landscape-forming shrubs of the heaths and large areas of Eastern Europe. In the East African highlands, these are large trees that have been overexploited in the highlands of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania over the past 120 years and are now largely protected. Due to its origin, the wood from this province is also called “Kenya cedar” – which is misleading, as it is certainly NOT a true cedar species. They all belong to the cypress family (Cupressaceae). The African species(Juniperus procera) is also known as Kenya Cedar, East African Pencil Cedar and “African Sade Tree”. A small number of lots from reforestations are traded. A third species of the same genus is native to the southeastern United States of America. It is Juniperus virginiana, the Eastern Juniper or Eastern Red Cedar, although not a true cedar. These woods are similar to the European and African species and provide a comparable, fragrant and yet dimensionally stable wood.

Wood appearance: The sapwood is light yellow to whitish and clearly separated from the heartwood. Heartwood basically salmon-colored with purple to yellowish-brown streaks. Later darkens to reddish brown. Latewood only slightly darker than earlywood. Resin channels are missing. Overall homogeneous, simple texture, decorative.

Properties: Juniper or “pencil cedar” is pleasantly fragrant (hence the name “Kenya cedar”). They have a remarkably high bulk density for a softwood. It is over 500 ^kg/m3, measured at 12% wood moisture. The shrinkage is low and is specified as 2.4% in the radial direction and 3.1% in the tangential direction. The Brinell hardness is 26-28 ^N/mm2 – compared to oak: 34 ^N/mm2.
The modulus of elasticity parallel to the fiber varies between 12,000 and 14,500 ^N/mm2. Juniper can be worked well with all tools, resulting in clean surfaces. The wood takes on a beautiful polish. Due to its ingredients, the wood is weather-resistant, i.e. resistant to fungi, insects and moths. In the guest houses in the Usambara Mountains that still exist today, the living rooms and bedrooms are furnished with this wood.

Use: Special wood for woodturning articles and wind instruments (recorder blocks). Essential oils for perfume production are extracted from shavings. Formerly: pencils, paneling and upmarket furniture making.