Practical
Plants

Calocedrus decurrens

Incense Cedar

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Calocedrus genus in the family Cupressaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
slow
Height
15 m
Spread
2 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The dense leaflets have been used as a flavouring and protection when leaching acorns[8].

Product or use
Condiment

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A decoction of the leaves has been used to treat stomach troubles[8]. Steam from an infusion of the leaves has been inhaled in the treatment of colds[8].

Product or use
Miscellany
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The boughs and twigs have been used to make brooms[8]. The roots have been used as overlay twine warps and overlay twine weft bases in making baskets[8]. The bark has been made into baskets[8]. Wood - soft, light, close grained, very durable in the soil though it is often damaged by dry rot[12]. It has a powerful, incense-like fragrance[7] and is used for making shingles, lathes, fencing, pencils, construction etc[9][10][11][2]. Mature trees are often infected by dry rot, so they are not considered to be a major timber species[6].

Product or use
Basketry
Product or use
Broom
Product or use
Containers
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - Oregon to California.
Habitat
Found on a variety of soils, usually on western slopes at an altitude of 700 - 2500 metres[6]. The best specimens are found on deep well-drained slightly acidic sandy loam soils[6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse[7]. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings of the current season's growth, taken in mid autumn, in a light sandy soil in a cold frame[7].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in full sun in a moist well-drained soil that is neutral to acid, though it will also survive on dry alkaline soils[5]. Plants are shade tolerant when young[5]. It grows best in a position that is sheltered from strong winds[7]. Trees are slow growing but long-lived in the wild, with specimens up to 1000 years old recorded[6]. They grow slowly in Britain, but they are perfectly hardy[1]. Young trees can grow 60cm in a year but they seldom average more than 30cm[3]. Growth virtually stops once the tree reaches 25 metres tall[3]. All parts of the plant are strongly aromatic[4][7]. This species is strongly resistant to honey fungus[11][4]. The tree exhibits very different crown habits dependant upon the area in which it is being grown[3][5]. At one time these different habits were considered to be different sub-species, but it is recognised now that it is only climatic forces that cause the differences.

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

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  2. Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00

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  3. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩1↩2

  5. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  8. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  9. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  10. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  11. Rushforth. K. Conifers. Christopher Helm 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-2801-X

    ↩1↩2

  12. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

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