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Alaska cedar

Scientific Name: Cupressus nootkatensis

Family: Cupressaceae

Category: Gymnosperm

Growth: Tree

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Alaska Cedar: A Comprehensive Overview

The Alaska cedar, a majestic evergreen, is a captivating addition to any landscape. Its graceful form and aromatic foliage make it a popular choice for gardens and parks. Also known as the Nootka Cypress, this tree boasts a rich history and a unique ecological role.

Considerations for Pets

  • Alaska Cedar leaves are scaled with pointed tips that can be prickly.

Scientific Name and Common Names

  • Scientific Name: Xanthocyparis nootkatensis (formerly Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, Cupressus nootkatensis, or Callitropsis nootkatensis)
  • Common Names: Nootka cypress, yellow cypress, Alaska cypress, Nootka cedar, yellow cedar, Alaska cedar, Alaska yellow-cedar, yellow-cedar, Nootka False Cypress

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Family: Cupressaceae (Cypress Family)
  • Synonyms: Cupressus nootkatensis, Thuyopsis nootkatensis

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to the Pacific Coast Region of Northwestern North America, ranging from Prince William Sound in Alaska to the Siskiyou Mountains in California, and south to northern Oregon.
  • Found in coastal or mountainous, moist regions.
  • Reaches its best development at elevations between 500 and 1,200 feet (152 and 366 meters), while western red cedar thrives below 500 feet (152 meters).

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Medium-sized evergreen tree with gray-green to blue-green foliage that droops from widely spaced branches.
  • Pyramidal form with a straight trunk and graceful, flattened sprays of aromatic foliage.
  • Grows to heights of up to 40 meters.
  • The heartwood is a light yellow, darkening with age. Sapwood is similar in color (whitish/pale yellow) and not distinctly differentiated from the heartwood.
  • Leaves are scaled with pointed tips.
  • Many cultivated varieties of Weeping Alaskan Cedar exist, including 'Glauca Pendula' which has a straight main leader and bowing terminal branches.

Quirky Facts

  • The Alaska cedar has been known to display browning toward the inside of the branches while maintaining good green foliage on the outside.
  • Some cultivars, like the Weeping Alaska Cedar, have a "wilted" appearance due to their drooping branches.