Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Native  trees growing to 50 (-75) meters tall, often buttressed  at base, with a conical to irregular crown, old  individuals frequently with many leaders and many dead spike tops; branches arching, branchlets  pendent, flattened, in fan-shaped sprays; bark gray to  reddish-brown, 10-25 mm thick, fibrous, separated  into flat, connected ridges.  Leaves are evergreen, scale-like and sharply pointed, (1-) 3-6 mm long, opposite in alternating pairs (in 4 rows), glossy green above, white-striped on the lower surface, with a spicy fragrance when crushed.  Seed cones are ellipsoid, 10-14 mm long, brown; seeds 8-14 per cone, 4-7.5 mm long, with lateral wings about as wide as the body.  The common name pertains to the western distribution and cedar-like appearance.  

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar

Western Red Cedar