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Cupressus nootkatensis
Also called Nootka Cypress
Nootka cypress is a large, long-lived conifer native to the cool, wet coastal mountains of the Pacific Northwest, and is the only species in its genus. It is grown as an ornamental and shade tree in cool temperate gardens, and does best in cool, moist conditions with good drainage.
Callitropsis nootkatensis is a species of coniferous tree in the cypress family, Cupressaceae, native to the coastal regions of northwestern North America. It is the sole species in the monotypic genus Callitropsis.
This species has many common names, including: Nootka cypress, yellow cypress, Alaska cypress, Nootka cedar, yellow cedar, Alaska cedar, and Alaska yellow cedar. The specific epithet nootkatensis is derived from the species being from the area of Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. Both locations are named for the older European name Nootka, given the Nuu-chah-nulth First Nation.
The species grows in moist areas of coastal mountains of the Pacific Northwest, including those of the Cascades, from the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska to the Klamath Mountains in northernmost California. It can be found at elevations higher than those reached by Thuja plicata (western redcedar), sometimes in a krummholz form, and even occupying very rocky sites (near the California-Oregon border). It can be found at elevations of 600 to 750 m (1,970 to 2,460 ft) in Southeast Alaska and between 750 and 2,000 m (2,460 and 6,560 ft) from coastal British Columbia into Oregon. Isolated groves near Nelson, British Columbia, and John Day, Oregon, may be the descendants of local populations dating to the Last Glacial Period.
The Nootka cypress is used extensively by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, along with another cypress, Thuja plicata (western redcedar). While the wood and inner bark of western redcedar was preferred for larger projects like houses and canoes, the stronger inner bark of Nootka cypress was used for smaller vessels and utensils, including canoe paddles and baskets, as well as thread for clothing and blankets.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Callitropsis nootkatensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
