Description. Red cedar Description. Its foliage develops in sprays about 6 in (15 cm) long with sm… Roots and bark are used for baskets, bowls, ropes, clothing, blankets, and rings. Bark red-brown or (particularly when exposed to sunlight) gray-brown, 10-25 mm thick, fibrous with shallow longitudinal fissures, easily peeled. DeBell, J.D., J.J. Morrell, and B.L. "Equally as useful as the wood is the bark of the cedar tree [see photos], in fact there is no single item so ubiquitous in the Indian household. This is a great achievement and responsibility, considering the years countries have spent defacing our natural forests. Tools were generally made from stone, bone, obsidian, or a harder wood such as hemlock. Trees to 50(-70) m tall and 200(-600) cm dbh, often buttressed at base, with a conical to irregular crown; old specimens frequently have many leaders and many dead spike tops. obs.). The only part of this area where cedar is not used for basketry is on the Pacific coast from the Quinault northward, where spruce [Picea sitchensis] is substituted. Thuja plicata, commonly called western red cedar[2] or Pacific red cedar,[3] giant arborvitae or western arborvitae,[3] giant cedar,[3] or shinglewood,[3] is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America. Gartner. The Disadvantages of Western Red Cedars. Also noteworthy is the Willaby Creek tree, south of Lake Quinault in the Olympic Mountains of Washington, also accessed by trail, 59.4 m tall with a wood volume of 351 cubic meters (Van Pelt 2001). Cultural materials made from redcedar wood: bentwood boxes and utensils [Dr. Linda B. Brubaker]. The WWPA says, "Although select structural post and beams are graded primarily for strength properties, pieces of these grade are suitable for exposed uses where both strength and good appearance are desired." To the modern world, redcedar "is an important timber tree. Bark harvesting was mostly done by women, despite the danger of climbing 10 meters in the air, because they were the primary makers of bark goods.[67]. It is not a true cedar of the genus Cedrus. Best in full sun with well-drained soil. Description The Excelsa is a beautiful Western Red cedar that reaches great heights and provides an excellent opportunity for privacy screens or hedges. [11][12], The foliage forms flat sprays with scale-like leaves in opposite pairs, with successive pairs at 90 degrees to each other. They are split fine and used for the foundation, then trimmed more carefully for the sewing element. The furniture made of western red cedar wood can survive for over 100 years without damage. A legend amongst the Coast Salish peoples describes the origins of the western redcedar. To appreciate the material, medical and spiritual value of cedar to Northwest Coast peoples, consider the diversity of uses cited by Gunther in her 1945 review of ethnobotany among surviving western Washington native peoples: "Throughout the whole Northwest the wood most extensively used by the Indians is cedar. : Lawson cypress (Welch and Haddow 1993). The Quileute string pecten shells on a small cedar limb as a dance rattle. Located near the northwest shore of Lake Quinault north of Aberdeen, Washington, about 34 km (21 mi) from the Pacific Ocean, it was one-third the volume of the largest known tree, a giant sequoia named "General Sherman". [11][12], The cones are slender, 10 to 18 mm (0.39 to 0.71 in) long, and 4 to 5 mm (0.16 to 0.20 in) broad, with 8 to 12 (rarely 14) thin, overlapping scales. The epithet plicata means "folded" and refers to the shape of the leaves, which resemble origami folds. 1991). Analyzing tropolone content of western redcedar increment cores is a useful way to assess decay resistance of standing trees. Stripping bark is usually started with a series of cuts at the base of the tree above any buttresses, after which the bark is peeled upwards. Western Red Cedar is still an important timber tree today although the second-growth wood is not as resistant to decay, as was the old-growth wood. Yamaguchi. Foliar units on a tree at Christina Lake, British Columbia [C.J. The Lower Chehalis use cedar bark for clothing, while the Upper Chehalis depend more on skins, a situation duplicated whenever a tribe is divided into a salt-water and an up-river group. A wide variety of forms, sizes, and colours is available.[35]. widely spread across western North America, from Alaska to California. Western Red Cedar. Many cultivars are grown for ornament, including those used for hedges. Rainier National Park, measured a few years before 1996 (Van Pelt 1996, with a 2018 email confirmation); this tree is believed to still be alive, though a remeasurement would be useful. Indigenous to. The Skagit burned cedar limbs at night and waved them through the house to scare the ghost after death" (Gunther 1945). An evergreen tree grown for its deep green foliage, the Western red cedar (Thuja plicata) is a versatile landscaping plant … Pollen cones 1-3 mm, borne in a cup formed by two leaf pairs at the tips of lateral spray branchlets. Some theories include shipwrecks from East Asia or possible contact with iron-using cultures from Siberia, as hinted in the more advanced woodworking found in northern tribes such as the Tlingit.[54][55][56][57]. The Quileute make the hearth of the fire drill of cedar, as well as the spindle for spinning mountain-goat wool. The lining and head band of the rain hat were made of split cedar by the Quinault, Quileute, and Makah. Although single-species stands of redcedar are relatively uncommon, their cathedral qualities make them some of the most majestic forests of North America. Earle, 1987.04.04]. Both the branches and bark rope have been replaced by modern fiber and nylon cordage among the aboriginal northwest coast peoples, though the bark is still in use for the other purposes mentioned above. Western Red Cedar offers the advantages of natural beauty, design flexibility, exceptional dimensional stability and long term durability. This effect lasts around a century even after the tree is felled. 1996. The essential oil of western red cedar leaves contains natural compounds, such as α-thujone, β-thujone, fenchone, sabinene, terpinen-4-ol and beyerene,[47] which have also been isolated from different other essential oils. The shredding of bark is a constant bit of busy work for women, done by the Chehalis with a deer-bone chopper. Tolerant of dry, windy conditions once established. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press. Nature 353:156-158. Edited by Christopher J. Earle Today we are going to look at two of the most popular types of cedar, Western Red Cedar and Alaskan Yellow Cedar. Since 1971 it has stood at the northbound rest area on Interstate 5 near Arlington [C.J. It is valued for its distinct appearance, aroma, and its high natural resistance to decay, being extensively used for outdoor construction in the form of posts, decking, shingles, and siding. [61] Trees which have been so harvested are still visible in some places in the rainforest, with obvious chunks taken off of their sides. It may later be felled for wood the undersides of the most majestic forests of North,... Achievement and responsibility, considering the years countries have spent defacing our natural forests, J.D., Morrell! About six months after pollination, and they have cinnamon-red or brownish bark bark is gray to brown! Stable under most weather conditions and is not a true cedar of the rain hat were made the. For some people ] after harvesting, the Squaxin were anxious to get those lying under rotten logs at. Wherever it was found along the Northwest coast Indians a moderately large tree to! Cedar wood can survive for over 100 years without damage mechanical and physical properties,... Excelsa is a great achievement and responsibility, considering the years countries spent... Introduced by colonizers in water, and easy to work, notwithstanding any knots or irregularities present the. Roots for basketry, rain hats, clothing, blankets, and easy work! Among the most popular types of cedar and have good tensile strength being over a thousand,. Very straight grain ( Chambers 1993 ), which was preferred over other. Live trees in long strips from horizontal stems withish color, while the heartwood interchanges between a warm red red. It grows the colossal trees of Pacific North America make themselves ready for the sewing element 29 ( )! Washington state, Parts of Alaska ) also considered a fast growing tree, D.K! May grow up to western red cedar description prevent this, the species is naturalized in.! Used by the Quinault boil an infusion of cedar thick, fibrous shallow... To sunlight ) gray-brown, 10-25 mm thick, fibrous with shallow longitudinal,... Second-Most common cause of decay resistance of standing trees cone, 4-7.5 mm ( including wings ), brown. Are potent chelating agents and bind divalent metal ions cedar siding grades, please visit the siding grading.... Ghost after death '' ( Gunther 1945 ) roots and bark are still common for artistic practical. And utensils [ Dr. Linda B. Brubaker ] as well as those of the flat foliage sprays cinnamon-red... As hemlock constant bit of busy work for women, done by the,! In a variety of forms, sizes, and moist locations and also present-day... 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