Virginia Tech Dendrology

Port-Orford-cedar Cupressaceae Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murray bis) Parl. symbol: CHLA
Leaf: Persistent, scale-like, and arranged in decussate pairs, blue-green with obvious white "X's" on the underside. Individuals leaves are typically 1/16 to 1/8 inch long and sets of four are about as long as they are wide; arranged in flattened, well organized sprays; dead leaves fall in sprays.
Flower: Species is monoecious; male cones small and yellow to red, borne terminally; female cones small, round and bluish-green.
Fruit: Cones are small (about 1/4 inch diameter) and round with deeply wrinkled peltate scales; blue-green when young and brown when mature.
Twig: Distinctly flattened when young, but eventually round, reddish brown bark.
Bark: Brown, weathers to a gray-brown; mature bark is fibrous, ridged, and deeply furrowed; may reach 4 to 8 inches thick near the base.
Form: Large, uniform, evergreen trees that commonly reach 125 to 200 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet in diameter; beautiful pyramidal form with frond-like branches.
Looks like: Alaska yellow-cedar - incense-cedar - western redcedar - Leyland cypress

Additional Range Information: Chamaecyparis lawsoniana is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
More Information: Wood
External Links: USDAFS Silvics of North America - USDAFS FEIS Silvics - USDA Plants Database - Horticulture Information - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information