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Chamaecyparis thyoides — Atlantic white cedar

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Facts

Atlantic white cedar, with its fissured, fibrous bark, thick trunk, and broad base, once dominated virtually impassable swamp forests of the coastal plain. As those swamps have been drained, converted to cranberry production, and mined for bog ore, these large stands have waned. Despite the fact that it mainly inhabits wet peatlands, Atlantic white cedar benefits from periodic fires, which promote seed germination and establishment. The light, water- and rot-resistant wood, that weathers to a silvery-brown hue, has been commonly used for shingles as well as posts, telephone poles, barrels, and other structures that need to withstand weather without the protection of paint. Miniature cultivars, bearing little resemblance to this majestic tree, are widely sold for planting.

Habitat

Bogs, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
Growth form
the plant is a tree
Leaf form
the leaves are scale-like
Leaf cross-section
the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)
Leaf arrangement
there are two needle-like leaves per node
Seed cone form
the seed cone is nearly spherical with woody scales attached in the center
Leaf clustering
the needle-like leaves are single, with two per node
Seed cone shape
the seed cone is globose (spherical)
Leaves overlapping
NA
Show all characteristics

  • Fruits or seeds

    Seed cone base
    NA
    Seed cone bracts
    NA
    Seed cone form
    the seed cone is nearly spherical with woody scales attached in the center
    Seed cone scales
    NA
    Seed cone shape
    the seed cone is globose (spherical)
    Seed cone symmetry
    the seed cone is symmetrical
    Seed cone umbo position
    there is no raised portion on the seed cone scale
    Seed cone umbo spine
    NA
    Seed wings
    the seeds have wing-like projections

  • Growth form

    Growth form
    the plant is a tree

  • Leaves

    Leaf arrangement
    there are two needle-like leaves per node
    Leaf base
    NA
    Leaf clustering
    the needle-like leaves are single, with two per node
    Leaf cross-section
    the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)
    Leaf duration
    the needle-like leaves remain green all winter
    Leaf form
    the leaves are scale-like
    Leaf glands
    the needle-like leaves have glands on the underside
    Leaf stalks
    the needle-like leaves do not have a leaf stalk
    Leaf types
    there are two distinct types of needle-like leaves on the twig
    Leaves overlapping
    NA

  • Place

    Habitat
    wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    Specific habitat
    • bogs
    • edges of wetlands
    • swamps

  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Bark resin blisters
    there are no resin blisters on the bark
    Branchlet thickness
    1 mm
    Leaves on shoots
    the needle-like leaves do not grow in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot
    Twig bloom
    there is no bloom on the twig
    Twig hair type
    the twigs have few or no hairs on them
    Twig hairs
    the twig does not have hairs
    Twig winter color
    brown

Wetland status

Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
absent

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Maine
rare (S-rank: S2), special concern (code: SC)
Massachusetts
widespread (S-rank: S5)
New Hampshire
uncommon (S-rank: S3), W (code: W)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

1.  Chamaecyparis thyoides (L.) B.S.P. N

Atlantic white cedar. Cupressus thyoides L. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI. Acidic swamps and bogs of the Atlantic coastal plain.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Juniperus virginiana:
seed cone resembling a blue berry and outer surface of leaf with an elongate gland (vs. C. thyoides, with seed cone spherical, with dry scales and outer surface of leaf with a circular gland).

Synonyms

  • Cupressus thyoides L.

Family

Cupressaceae

Genus

Chamaecyparis