Common Name(s): Incense Cedar, California Incense Cedar

Synonym(s): Libocedrus decurrens

Family: Cupressaceae

Native To: Oregon and California

Native Habitat: Dry, to moist slopes in mixed forests

Growth Habit: Large, cone shaped evergreen

Flowering: Inconspicuous and not showy

Distinguishing Characteristics: Trees generally reach heights of 60 to 80 feet in coastal regions and about 150 feet in the mountain area. The pyramidal crown is dense and narrow. The bark on mature trees is dark brown, fibrous, and deeply furrowed. The decurrens have flattened branchlets with green overlapping scales. This monoecious tree has oblong cones that are about 1 inch long and hang from the tips of branches. The stroboli shed pollen in late winter and early spring. The cones than mature in late summer. The seeds then fall slowly from the tree and are dispersed by the wind. The tree is fairly slow growing which makes it typically a secondary species.

Natural History and Cultivation Notes: The genus name, Calocedrus, is from the Greek meaning beautiful and the species name means extending down. This species was formerly known as Libocedrus decurrens. Commonly known as the California incense cedar because of the highly aromatic fragrance of its wood. This is a very old species with many trees reaching ages well over 500 years.

Ethnobotany: This species is ideally suited for the manufacturing of pencils because of its softwood, straight grain, and its ability to be whittled easily. The tree is also used quite commonly for exterior siding and shingles because the wood is resistant to decay. Other common uses for this species include, interior siding, window sashes, sheathing, greenhouse benches, fencing, poles, and trellises.

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