MOUNT RAINIER The Forests of Mount Rainier National Park

ALASKA CEDAR (CHAMAECYPARIS NOOTKATENSIS)

Alaska cedar (fig. 16) ranges from the seacoast of southern Alaska south to the mountains of Washington and Oregon. It occurs in the park up to the elevation of 7,000 feet. It is common on northern exposures, along streams, and in basins at the head of canyons. It also grows on crests and ridges, where the frequent showers and fogs supply the moisture which it demands. In sheltered localities it grows to a height of 75 or 80 feet, but it is commonly a small tree with a bent and twisted stem, which, with its pendulous branches, presents a somewhat scrubby appearance. The foliage is green, sometimes with a bluish tinge. It resembles that of the common western red cedar, but the leaves are sharper, more pointed, and rougher to handle. The small, rounded, inconspicuous cones are produced somewhat sparingly. The bark of the young tree is red. On the mature tree it becomes gray and fibrous. The wood is yellow, close grained, and aromatic. Unlike that of the western red cedar, the trunk is usually sound to the center. The wood is used for boat building and cabinetwork. It is very durable.

Fig. 16.—A group of Alaska cedars (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) on the high slopes of Mount Rainier National Park, altitude about 6,000 feet. Photograph by A. H. Barnes.

The Alaska cedar grows very slowly, particularly at high elevations. The number of annual rings on trees 15 to 20 inches in diameter indicates that they are over 200 years old.