Western Redcedar

Western redcedar is a native conifer of western North America, reaching 150 ft with a conical form and fine foliage texture. It has brown cones, yellow flowers, and is valued for its aromatic, durable wood. The bark is thin, layered, and historically was stripped for textiles.

Western redcedar prefers sun to part shade with moist soil and high moisture (pH 4.5-7.0) in zones 5a-8b. It grows at a moderate rate and is long-lived with low maintenance once established. It tolerates clay and black walnut and is useful in hedges and rain gardens.

Western redcedar is the backbone of Puget Sound lowland forests and the single best large evergreen for this region. It tolerates a wide range of lowland soils including glacial till and alluvial clay, thrives in wet winters, and handles shade better than any other native conifer of comparable size. Establishes on nurse logs and nurse stumps alongside western hemlock; its tolerance for saturated substrates gives it an additional advantage on waterlogged decomposing wood in low-lying areas. The catch is summer drought: established redcedars in the I-5 corridor have been showing crown dieback after consecutive dry summers, and young trees planted in exposed sites without irrigation will struggle July through September. Leaf blight (Keithia) is the most common disease, mainly cosmetic on mature trees but capable of killing nursery stock. Yellow root rot moves through root contact in stressed trees. Water deeply through the first three dry seasons and mulch generously. Once established, this tree essentially takes care of itself.

— Chris Welch, ISA Certified Arborist