Western Red Cedar Tree Cones
Western red cedar tree conesEven so in some years a tree may produce more cones than in others.
Western red cedar tree cones. Western red cedar trees native to usa can grow up to 150 feet and live for more than 1000 years. Western red cedar essential oil is a rare and unique oil that is distilled from the leaves and branches of the tree. Western red cedar thuja plicata has a natural conical shape. The alaska cedar grows to 100 feet commonly while the incense cedar can make it to 150 feet.
The needles are flattened scales while the cones are small as berries. The western cedar is a massive tree with a trunk as wide as 8 feet and attaining heights up to 200 feet. Neither species is a true cedar cedrus spp but both provide gardeners sound options for specimen trees. Familiarize yourself with where cedar trees grow in the united states.
The seed cones of this tree are bent backwards along the branches. Western red cedar has flat wide scale like leaves they often have a white butterfly shaped pattern on the lower surface. It grows between 50 and 70 feet tall with a 25 foot spread in cultivation but wild trees can reach heights of 200. The western red cedar can grow in cold mild and moist locations and also in shaded areas that have a nutrient rich soil.
In north america there are two evergreen tree species commonly called red cedars the eastern red cedar juniperus virginiana and the western red cedar thuja plicata perhaps better known as an arborvitae. Eastern cedar trees including eastern red cedar juniperus virginiana are also native to this country. The 1 2 inch cones sit on top of the branch and look like tiny rose buds. The redish brown bark is stringy.
A western red cedar often produces many cones especially when the tree is mature and on those branches that are in open areas and are exposed to a good amount of sunlight. The egg shaped or slightly elongated cones 8 to 12 mm 0 3 to 0 5 inch long bear five to six pairs of thin flexible scales. They are not as tall as western red cedar topping out at 65 feet and sometimes half that height with trunks that can be fluted at the base. The western red cedar was known as the tree of life by the native americans.
Western red cedar tree found in the north western parts of the united states and canada. The red cedar is coniferous meaning it drops cones that contain its seeds. Western red cedar hikers passing a large old growth western red cedar thuja plicata in north cascades national park washington. If you d like to estimate the age of your red cedar you can do so by using a tape measure and some math.