Eastern Red Cedar is a common native tree that is found throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map); it probably occurs in every county. Habitats include thin upland woodlands, rocky bluffs, wooded slopes, woodland edges, sandstone and limestone glades, rocky cliffs, stabilized sand dunes, sandy savannas, roadside embankments, gravelly areas along railroads, fence rows, old cemeteries, and abandoned fields. Sometimes Eastern Red Cedar is cultivated as a landscape plant and for windbreaks. This is a pioneer tree that colonizes sunny areas that are relatively dry and sterile. Because of its thin bark and low branches, it has poor resistance to fire.