Alaska yellow cedar

Callitropsis nootkatensis

The Alaska yellow cedar is a special tree that grows in cool, wet places. It has beautiful yellowish wood and can live for a very long time, making it a treasure in nature!

Habitat: Coastal areas

Appearance

The Alaska yellow cedar has distinctive flat, drooping branches covered in scale-like, yellow-green leaves, giving it a soft, weeping appearance. Its shaggy, grayish-brown bark peels away in long, thin strips. This evergreen often stands tall and narrow.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassPinopsidaOrderPinalesFamilyCupressaceaeGenusXanthocyparis

Alaska yellow cedar

Interesting facts

Despite its name, it's not a true cedar, but a cypress relative!

Its fragrant wood is highly valued for making kayaks, musical instruments, and fine carvings.

Some Alaska yellow cedars have lived for over 1,800 years, making them ancient giants!

The unique "weeping" branch tips help scientists tell it apart from other conifers.

Special abilities

Alaska yellow cedar has incredibly rot-resistant wood that helps it stay strong for hundreds of years, even when wet.

Alaska yellow cedar can thrive in very cold, wet, and high-altitude places, helping it survive harsh winter conditions.

Its drooping branchlets shed heavy snow easily, which helps the tree prevent breakage in snowy, mountainous habitats.

Measurements & details

Height: 2000-3500 cm
Spread: 300-600 cm
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

eats

Black-tailed deer

Odocoileus hemionus

Browses on young foliage and shoots.

eats

Red squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Feeds on seeds from mature cones.

shelters

Steller's Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

Nests and finds refuge among dense branches.

Traits

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Cold Hardy

Cold hardy plants are able to withstand low temperatures and freezing conditions without significant damage.

Evergreen

Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Timber

Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.

Ancient Lineage

This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

Temperate Rainforest

This habitat trait identifies species found in temperate rainforests, characterized by significant rainfall, mild temperatures, and dense evergreen or deciduous forests in coastal regions.