Atlantic White Cedar
Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P.
Also known as Juniper.
Mature Size: 40 to 85 feet in height and about 2 feet in diameter.
Form: Narrow, pointed crown with short, horizontal branches.
Habitat: Freshwater bogs, depressions, swamps and stream sides, often in pure stands called "glades."
Needles
1/8 inch, dark blue-green, scaly, overlapping and pressed close to twig; fragrant when crushed.
Flowers
Males red to yellow and very small; females small and green.
Cones
¼ inch in diameter, blue or purple, with a waxy grayish coating and a somewhat crumpled appearance; turning red-brown in fall.
Bark
Light reddish-brown, peeling off in long, fibrous strips.
Twigs
Covered in tight green scales, turning brown with age.
Values and Uses
The wood is very durable, fine-grained and slightly fragrant, especially in contact with water. It has been used for shingles, posts, woodenware, barrels, interior finishes and boat construction. White-cedar glades provide cover for many species of wetland wildlife.
Did You Know?
Heavy harvesting in the early 1900s diminished this species to a fraction of its former range. White-cedar logs are very resistant to decay; logs buried in swamps for many years are still sound enough to be used for lumber.
