40 



Common Trees 



WHITE CEDAR 



Chamaecyparis thyoides, BSP 



THE WHITE Cedar is exclusively a tree of the Coastal 

 Plain. In the southern part of its range it occurs in the 

 swamps with bald cypress and swamp hardwoods, but more 

 often is found in pure stands. Its straight trunks often 

 stand in very close formation. 



The leaves are 



small, scale-like, blu- 

 ish-green, 4 - ranked, 

 over-lapping and en- 

 tirely cover the slen- 

 der twigs. 



The cones are near- 

 ly round, about J4 

 of an inch in diame- 

 ter. They mature in 

 one year and contain 

 from 4 to 8 winged 

 seeds. The cone- 

 scales are distinctly 

 shield-shaped. 



The bark is thin, 

 ranges in color from 

 an ash-gray to light 

 brown. It separates 

 freely into loose 

 shreddy scales. 



The wood is light, 

 soft, slightly fragrant 

 and rather durable. These qualities recommend it for boat 

 and canoe building, shingles, fence posts, poles, stakes, and 

 rustic furniture. It is being substituted for chestnut tele- 

 phone poles, since the supply of the latter is becoming scarce. 



The White Cedar ranges from Maine southward along 

 the coast of Florida and, Mississippi. In New York this 

 tree is found chiefly in swamps along the coast. It has been 

 reported inland to Putnam and Orange counties. Some of 

 the commoner ornamental varieties are the Golden White 

 Cedar and the Blue White Cedar. 



Closely related to the Eastern White Cedar are two west- 

 ern cedars also belonging to the genus Chamaecyparis. They 

 are the Nootka Cedar — Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, Sud- 

 worth — and the Port Orford Cedar — Chamaecyparis law- 

 soniana, Pari. 



WHITE CEDAR 

 One-third natural size. 



