Yellow-cedar is a medium-sized evergreen, coniferous tree species found along the Pacific Coast in North America, where it ranges from California north to Alaska: disjunct inland populations are found in BC and Oregon (Michener 2010). Plants are often dwarfed at high elevations (Michener 2010). It is readily identifiable by its scale-like bluish-green leaves, and spreading and noticeably drooping branches which stand out from other adjacent conifer trees. Cones are round and resemble berries in the first year, but become woody as they age (BC Ministry of Forests and Range 2010). This is a common species in old-growth stands at low elevations in the central and northern coast of BC. Commonly associated species include western redcedar and western hemlock. Decline and die-off of mature yellow-cedar trees has been noted in Alaska and British Columbia. Read more about yellow cedar die-off and associated research.
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General:
Tree, usually 20-40 m tall when mature; branches and branchlets droop strongly; bark ridged and fissured, not tearing off in long thin strips; wood aromatic (potato-like smell); growing "tip" (leader) drooping.
Leaves:
Scalelike, opposite, somewhat overlapping, close to stem, with sharp, rigid tip; bluish green.
Cones:
Seed cones like a round, bumpy light green "berry" when immature, brown when ripe, less than 10 mm long, glaucous; pollen cones about 4 mm long.
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Site Information |
Value / Class |
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Avg |
Min |
Max |
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Elevation
(metres) |
537 | 0 | 2050 |
Slope
Gradient (%) |
26 | 0 | 350 |
Aspect (degrees) |
210 | 0 | 360 |
Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
4 | 0 | 8 |
Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
C | ||
#
of field plots species was recorded in: |
1565 | ||
Modal
BEC Zone Class |
CWH | ||
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
CMA(8), CWH(1127), ESSF(12), IDF(1), MH(411), MS(1) | ||
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
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Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Xanthocyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) D.P. Little