Alternate name: Yellow Cedar

Family: Cupressaceae, Cypress view all from this family

Description Tree with narrow crown and horizontal or slightly drooping branches.
Height: 50-100' (15-30 m).
Diameter: 1-4' (0.3-1.2 m).
Leaves: evergreen; opposite in 4 rows, 1/8" (3 mm) long. Scalelike, pointed and spreading. Bright yellow-green, generally without gland-dot.
Bark: gray-brown, thin, with long narrow fissures, fibrous and shreddy.
Twigs: slightly stout, flattened or 4-angled, regularly branched and spreading horizontally, becoming reddish-brown.
Cones: 1/2" (12 mm) in diameter; rounded, reddish-brown, with 4 or 6 rounded cone-scales ending in long point; maturing in 2 seasons; 2-4 seeds under a cone-scale.

Habitat Wet mountain soils; mainly in mixed conifer forests, sometimes in pure stands.

Range Pacific Coast region from S. and SE. Alaska southeast to mountains of W. Oregon and extreme NW. California; local farther inland; at 2000-7000' (610-2134 m); to sea level farther north.

Discussion The durable wood has a pleasant, resinous odor; it is used for furniture, interior finish, and boats. Northwest Coast Indians made canoe paddles from the wood and carved ceremonial masks from the trunks.