incense cedar
Family
CupressaceaeScientific Name
Calocedrus decurrensSynonyms (former Scientific Names):
Heyderia decurrens
Libocedrus decurrens
Leaves
The leaves are small, scale-like, oblong-ovate, in whorls of four, decurrent, and closely adnate on the branchlets and aromatic when crushed.
Identifying Characteristics
Cypress family Cupressaceae. Incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens is a medium sized tree eighty to one hundred twenty feet high. The bark is bright cinnamon-red, broken into irregularly ridges, and covered with closely appressed plate-like scales
Flower Seed Head
The flowers are monecious, appearing in January on the ends of short lateral branchlets of the previous year.
Seed Fruit
The fruit is reddish-brown or yellowish-brown that ripens in the early autumn and remains on the tree until spring.
Where Found
Calocedrus decurrens is native to the mountains from western Oregon in higher Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada to southern California and western Nevada.
Life Cycle
perennial
Plant Type
Tree