Range map (Burns & Honkala 1990).
Common Names
Alaska yellow-cedar, Alaska cedar, yellow cypress (Peattie 1950, Pojar & Mackinnon 1994), Nootka cypress, Alaska cypress.Taxonomic notes
Syn: Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (D. Don) Spach 1841 in Lambert 1824; this name is still very widely used, but recent studies have used morphological, phenological and genetic lines of evidence to clearly show that this species falls within the genus Cupressus and is markedly distinct from the other species of Chamaecyparis (Frankis 1993, Gadek et al. 2000, Welch 1991)."In addition to variation in habit within the species, occasional plants have divergent forms of foliage. In light of the foliar and habit phenotypes recognized in the horticultural literature (for example, A. J. Rehder [1949] listed, with full bibliographic citations, 22 published varieties and forms best considered as cultivars), no taxonomic significance is attached to this variation here" (Michener 1993).
Description
Trees to 40 m or dwarfed at high elevations; trunk to 200 cm dbh. Bark grayish brown, 1-2 cm thick, irregularly fissured. Branchlet sprays pinnate. Leaves of branchlets mostly 1.5-2.5 mm, stout, occasionally glandular on keel, apex rounded to acute or acuminate, bases of facial leaves often overlapped by apices of subtending facial leaves; glands usually absent (circular when present). Pollen cones 2-5 mm, grayish brown; pollen sacs yellow. Seed cones maturing and opening the second year, rarely in some southern lowland populations late in the first year, in (10-)16-18 months (El-Kassaby et al. 1991, Owens & Molder 1975), 8-12 mm broad, glaucous, dark reddish brown, becoming resinous; scales 4-6, valvate with an open apex; a small central columella between the apical pair of scales. Seeds 2-4 per scale, 2-5 mm, wing equal to or broader than body (M.P. Frankis [pers. comm. 5-Feb-1999], Michener 1993).Range
USA, Canada: Pacific Coast area from S and SE Alaska through British Columbia, Washington and Oregon to extreme NW California; locally found farther inland; at 600-2100 m in the S, to sea level in the N (Peattie 1950). Disjunct inland populations occur in BC and OR (Michener 1993). Usually found on mesic to hygric sites including avalanche chutes, snowy timberlines, and bog-forest transition areas (Pojar & Mackinnon 1994). Although it usually occurs in mixed conifer forests (most often with Tsuga mertensiana), it occasionally forms pure stands (Little 1980). See also Thompson et al. (1999). USDA hardiness zone 6.Big Tree
Diameter 416 cm, height 61.0 m, located in Kelsey Bay, Vancouver Island, British Columbia (R. Van Pelt [pers. comm. 18-Mar-1998], who measured it). Also, diameter 364 cm, height 37.8 m, located in Olympic National Park ,Washington (1).Oldest
1834 years for a specimen from the Caren Range, Sechelt Peninsula, BC, collected by M.L. Parker (R. Van Pelt [pers. comm. 18-Mar-1998]). 1636 years for a specimen from Vancouver Island collected by L. Jozsa (Brown 1996). Both ages represent ring counts from stumps in clearcuts. It is to be hoped that comparably old trees remain uncut.Dendrochronology
Has been studied to date periods of bark harvesting by native peoples and to determine stand ages. Generally has poor circuit uniformity and low sensitivity, so of limited use in dendroclimatic studies. See Laroque and Smith (1999).Ethnobotany
The tough, straight-grained wood was used by nearly all Northwest Coast peoples for bows, canoe paddles, ceremonial masks, chests, dishes, digging sticks, adze handles, and fish net hoops. The bows were a popular trade item, sometimes traded well beyond the species' range. Branch tips and green cones were used medicinally. In folklore, the tree was believed to have once had human form (Pojar & Mackinnon 1994).Modern society uses the wood for furniture, finish carpentry, and boats (Little 1980).
The hybrid of this species with Cupressus macrocarpa (Leyland cypress, Cupressus [Cupressocyparis] × leylandii), is of major horticultural importance, particularly in Britain where it arose about 100 years ago. It accounts for 99.5% of the suburban hedge plant market there, despite being far too vigorous for this purpose, growing at 0.5-0.8 m per year to 35 m or more if not trimmed frequently. Two other hybrids, with Cupressus arizonica var. glabra and Cupressus lusitanica, are also known in cultivation, but are not widely planted. It has never been hybridised with any Chamaecyparis species (M.P. Frankis [pers. comm. 5-Feb-1999]).
Observations
Common in high montane and subalpine forests of the Cascade Range, Washington and Oregon. Some pure old-growth stands are found in Mt. Rainier National Park, and it is codominant with Tsuga mertensiana near timberline at Jefferson Park, Mt. Jefferson Wilderness, Oregon.Remarks
The crushed foliage and freshly cut wood has a rather rank odor, similar to several Cupressus and Juniperus species, and quite unlike the other Chamaecyparis species.Citations
El-Kassaby, Y.A. et al. 1991. Reproductive-cycle plasticity in yellow-cedar. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 21: 1360-1364.Frankis, M.P. 1993. Nootka Cypress: Chamaecyparis or Cupressus? Conif. Soc. Austral. Newsletter 12: 9-10.
Laroque, C., and D.J. Smith. 1999. Tree-ring analysis of yellow-cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 29: 115-123.
Michener, D.C. 1993. See the Flora of North America web site.
Thompson, Robert S., Katherine H. Anderson and Patrick J. Bartlein. 1999. Atlas of Relations Between Climatic Parameters and Distributions of Important Trees and Shrubs in North America. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1650 A&B. URL= http://greenwood.cr.usgs.gov/pub/ppapers/p1650-a/pages/conifers.html, accessed 22-Jan-2000.
Welch, H.J. 1991. The Conifer Manual vol. 1.
See also:
Grescoe, A. and B. Herger. 1997. Giants: the colossal trees of Pacific North America. Boulder, CO: Roberts Rinehart.
This page edited with the help of M.P. Frankis, Feb-1999.
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This page is from the Gymnosperm Database
URL: http://www.conifers.org/cu/cup/nootkatensis.htm
Edited by Christopher J. Earle
Last modified on 23-Feb-2001