For the last few years we have been cutting cedar trees for Christmas. They come as part of a cedar barrens management plan that calls for humans to cut trees that fire used to take out. Last year I counted the rings and found that our tree was 113 years old even though it was only four inches in diameter at the base. I let it dry out behind the garage after the holidays and trimmed the branches off at the trunk. It makes the nicest lightest hiking stick ever! This year's tree was only 74 years old. It's out behind the garage now. Southern red cedar is actually a juniper, but "juniper chest" just doesn't have that ring.