White-cedar
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

40-50' tall and 10-20' wide in landscape plantings, to 75-95' tall and 30-40' in the wild. Young trees are slender-columnar, becoming narrow and spire-like as they age. Old trees are devoid of branches on their lower half. Medium rate of growth, 25' in 20 years. Some trees have a fast growth rate, dependent on seed source and provenance.

Native Range

Kentucky Native — Grows native in Kentucky, and along the east coast, from Maine to Florida, and west to Alabama and Mississippi. In the wild, it grows in fresh water swamps and bogs, low wet areas of all types, along streams, and on sandy peat soils.

Flower and Fruit Details

The monoecious flowers are small, with an abundance of red or yellow male flowers. Female flowers are green. The 1/4" rounded cones, each with 4-6 scales, are on small branchlets, and are green to bluish-purple, and bloomy.

Leaf and Bark Features

Evergreen: Foliage is bright green to glaucous blue-green, with overlapping scales, each 1/10-1/12" long, often marked on the back with a resinous gland. Leaves turn brown the second year, but persist for several years. Branchlets are slender and spreading, but not flattened. Notable Bark: Relatively thin bark, eventually getting to about 3/4-1" thick on old. Trees. Bark is ridged and furrowed, attractive, ash-gray to reddish-brown.

Culture and Care

It prefers a moist, sandy soil in a sunny location. Not drought-tolerant. Requires steady supply of moisture. Mulch, but not up against the trunk of the tree. Zones 4-9. No serious insect or disease problems.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

4-season interest: Spring, summer, fall, winter. Does very well in the southeastern United States.

Suggested Uses

Does well in bogs and other low, wet areas. Used for wetlands reclamation and for general garden/landscape use.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA