Falsecypress, Nootka or Alaska-cedar
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis
Cupressaceae - Cypress

Description

Leaves: Small; scale-like; very similar to Cupressus and Thuja; attached in alternating pairs flattened along and clasping twig; 1/8" to 1/4" long; blue-green to grayish without white marking underneath; evergreen; persist 2 to 3 years; aromatic when crushed, with a somewhat unpleasant odor.

Twigs/buds: Twigs slender; covered by foliage and somewhat four-sided; arranged in flattened, drooping sprays. Buds very small; indistinct; not useful for identification purposes.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious. Fruit a leathery cone; 1/3" to 1/2" diameter; round; purple-green, maturing yellow-green and eventually turning brown; 4 to 6 shield-shaped scales with a bump on each one; matures in one or two years, so both ages are on the tree at one time.

Bark: Fibrous; reddish-brown; shredding; distinctive.

Wood: Important in native range and often exported; heartwood yellow, sapwood paler; very durable and decay-resistant; many specialty uses.

General: Native to the coastal Pacific Northwest from southeastern Alaska down to extreme northern California; not Utah. Not a true cedar or cypress. Prefers moist sites, but does fine on a wide variety of soils, including those with moderately high pH. Shade tolerant.

Landscape Use: A medium-sized tree (35' to 50' tall and 15' to 20' wide) often with a strong weeping habit that can be very attractive; gets much taller in nature. Cultivar 'Pendula' has an especially strong weeping habit; more extreme weeping forms look like they belong a a Dr. Seuss story. Not particularly common in Utah, but can be found here and there; I have seen it growing at on campus at the UofU, but also at a home in Logan. No notable insect and disease problems. Does well on a variety of sites. Zones 4-8.

Cultivars: 'Aldrich Mt.', Aurea', 'Aureovariegata', 'Compacta', 'Glauca', 'Green Arrow', 'Laura Aurora', 'Pendula', 'Sparkling Arrow', 'Van den Akker'.

Characteristics

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