Port Orford cedar is a large, attractive tree that grows to 200 feet (60 meters).
Leaves:
Small,
flat
scales, often with a white X pattern
below.
Cones:
Round and
woody, similar to Alaska cedar
and cypress cones.
Bark:
Brown with flat ridges and furrows. Thick on old trees.
Where
it grows: Along the Pacific
Coast from Coos Bay, Oregon to the
Klamath River in California, extending to 5000 feet (1500 meters) in the Siskiyous.
Locations:
At
the
Oregon Caves National Monument on the Big Tree Trail (42.10124
-123.40306). You can find several plantings in Portland's Forest Park,
for example at the top of the Dogwood trail (45 32.397 -122 43.967) and
at miles 14.3 and 16.6 on the Wildwood Trail.
Port Orford cedar at Hoyt Arboretum
Uses:
Similar to western red cedar for decking and fencing. However, limited
supply and popularity in Japan contribute to high prices. Cultivars are
popular ornamentals.
Names:
The
scientific
name honors Peter Lawson, who first introduced Port Orford cedar
cultivars. Other common names: white cedar, Oregon cedar.
Note that Port Orford cedar
is not a true cedar. That is,
its genus is not Cedrus,
the genus of the true
cedars from the middle-east.
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