The Tree

The Atlantic White-Cedar is a tree 70 to 80 feet tall and two to three feet in diameter. The branches are horizontal and slender, and the crown is spire-like and narrow. The leaves are rather flat, as in most cedars, scale-like, overlapping, bluish green in color and faintly aromatic. The ashy-gray to light-reddish-brown bark is thin, rather smooth but separating into loose, plate-like scales which peel off easily in long fibrous strips.

Atlantic White-Cedar Foliage and Seed Cones

Common Names in Use

• Atlantic White-Cedar
• False-cypress
• Juniper (Ala., N.C., Va., Fla.)
• Post Cedar (Del.)
• Southern White Cedar (trade)
• Swamp Cedar (Del.)
• White Cedar (Mass., R.I., N.Y., N.I., Pa., Del., N.C., S.C., Fla., Ala., Miss.)
• White Cedar “Juniper” (trade)

Growth Range

The natural growth range of Atlantic White-Cedar extends along the Atlantic seaboard from southern Maine to northern Florida, westward along the Gulf coast to eastern Louisiana, and to an area in west-central Georgia. It is a swamp tree growing almost entirely along the edges of fresh water swamps and small streams.

The Wood

The Wood of the Atlantic White-Cedar is light in weight, not strong, soft, uniform in texture, straight close-grained, and slightly-fragrant. It is a light-brown tinged with red and has a thin, nearly white sapwood. The grain and color are especially pleasing and the wood may be machined very satisfactorily. It also takes a good finish.

Uses

This cedar is in demand for boat and canoe building, cooperage, shingles, fence posts and telephone poles. Because of its excellent workability this wood should be used more extensively in manual training schools and for novelties and toys.

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