Smithsonian Gardens

Common name: Bastard Cedar, California Calocedar, California Incense Cedar, California White Cedar, Post Cedar, White Cedar

Family: Cupressaceae (Cypress)

Synonym: Libocedrus decurrens

Distribution: W Oregon to Mexico (N Baja California)

Habitat: Montane forests, 50 - 2960 meters

Hardiness: -20 - 20 F

Life form: Evergreen tree

Bloom Time: January

Bloom characteristics: Grow on the ends of short lateral branchlets from the previous year.

Fruit characteristics: Reddish to yellowish-brown. Ripens in early fall and persists on tree through spring. Grow on branchlet ends on their own, and have a "duckbill shape" once they open. 6 scales, all thorny at the tip, with the upper pair being connate to form a flat plate. 1" long.

Foliage characteristics: Scale-like leaves are oblong, 3-14mm long, and grow in sprays in whorls of four. Aromatic when crushed.

Average height: 80-150' (30-50' in cultivation)

Structure: Young: pyramidal Mature: open, irregular crown

Bark characteristics: Reddish-brown, thick, ridged, and furrowed. Exfoliating.

Medicinal/pharmaceutical: Decoction of leaves was used to treat stomach problems. Steam from bark infused in water was inhaled to treat colds.

Ethnobotanical uses: Bark has been used to make baskets, and twigs have been used to make brooms. This cedar's aromatic quality provides it with a resistance to insects and decay, making it a popular wood for outdoor construction. The wood's softness also makes it one of the few species used to make pencils.

Description: This aromatic cedar, native to the Cascades, Sierras, and coastal ranges, can live to be over 1,000 years old. It has been used by various native people for medicinal and economic purposes. Its common name - incense cedar - comes from the incense-like scent the leaves produce when crushed.
Protected in Nevada.