Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.

Atlantic White Cedar

Tree

Perennial

Vascular

Atlantic White Cedar is a large native evergreen tree in the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). It can be found in the southwestern portions of Alabama. Atlantic White Cedar occurs along blackwater rivers and streams, around lakes and ponds, in swamps, and in marshes. It is a large tree to 80 feet in height. The bark is dark reddish brown with irregular furrows. Branches are fan shaped with appressed, overlapping, scale-like leaves. The leaves are opposite in 4 ranks, with acute to acuminate tips and circular glands on the lower surface. Atlantic White Cedar is monoecious. The yellowish pollen cones have 2--3 pairs of scales. The globose seed cones occur singly or in clusters of two or three and mature in one year. They have 5-7 scales, each with 1-2 narrowly winged seed. Atlantic White Cedar is an important timber tree, prized for its rot resistant wood. It is occasionally planted as an ornamental and more than 19 cultivars are available. Although naturally occurring in water-logged soils, Atlantic White Cedar is adaptable to drier sites. It prefers acidic soils and full sun. Populations in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi have been described as a separate species (Chamaecyparis henryae H. L. Li) or as a subspecies or variety. Atlantic White Cedar is listed as a S3 species in Alabama (typically 21 to 100 occurrences) and globally as a G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity, or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).—A. Diamond

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Native OBL (NWPL) S3 (State Rank) G4 (Global Rank)

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