‘WHITE CEDAR 
WHITE CEDAR. 
Cupréssus thyotdes. Chameciparis spharotdea. 
Cupressus is the classical name of the cypress tree. Chamecyparis 
is of Greek derivation and means a low cypress. 
A conical evergreen tree with open, flat, fan-shaped spray, reaches 
the maximum height of eighty feet. Prefers deep swamps and in 
them forms impenetrable thickets. Ranges from Maine to Missis- 
sippi along the coast ; endures salt water. Roots fibrous. 
Bark, —Light reddish brown, furrowed, ridges often twisted around 
the tree, scaly. Branchlets compressed at first, later become terete ; 
slender, light green at first, then light reddish brown, finally dark 
brown. 
Wood.—Light brown with rose tinge, sapwood pale; light, soft, 
weak, close-grained, easily worked, very durable in contact with the 
soil, fragrant. Used in boat building, cooperage, interior finish of 
houses, fence posts and railway ties. Sp. gr., 0.3322; weight of cu. 
ft., 20.70 lbs. 
Leaves.—Of ultimate branches opposite, imbricated in four rows, 
scale-like, small, ovate, acute or acuminate, closely appressed or, 
spreading at the apex, decurrent, often remote on vigorous shoots. 
Four-ranked, those of the lateral rows keeled, those on vertical rows 
slightly convex, each with a glandular disk on the back. The young 
leaves are light bluish green, somewhat hoary below, when full grown 
they become a dark blue green. During the winter in the north 
when exposed to the sun they become a rusty brown. 
Flowers.—April. Moncecious, minute. Staminate flowers are 
oblong, four-sided, one-eighth of an inch long, consisting of several 
shield-shaped scale-like filaments bearing two to four anthers. 
Pistillate flowers globular, of about six shield-shaped scales, alternat- 
ing in pairs and bearing generally two black ovules. 
Fruit.—Woody, globular cone, ripens at end of first season; 
about one-fourth of an inch in diameter, sessile on a short leafy 
branch. Light green and covered with glaucous bloom when full 
grown, then bluish purple, very glaucous, finally dark red brown. 
Scales are thick, shield-shaped, each with a central point or knob. 
Seeds usually one or two under each fertile scale. 
It is unfortunate that Cupressus thyotdes and Thuja occiden- 
tal’s are both popularly known as White Cedar. Zhwja is 
also known as Arborvite, but many who know it as Arbor- 
vite also know it as White Cedar. This results in endless 
confusion in the popular mind concerning the two trees, 
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