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Alaska yellow cedar

Callitropsis nootkatensis

iNaturalist Wikipedia

A majestic and resilient icon of the Pacific Northwest, the Alaska yellow cedar is famous for its elegant weeping branches and incredibly durable, aromatic yellow wood.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Typically reaches 20–40 m (65–130 ft) in height with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m (6.6 ft).

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Colors

Dark green to bluish-green scale-like leaves; bark is grayish-brown, weathering to silver-gray; interior wood is a distinct sulfur-yellow.

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Key Features

Distinctive weeping or 'wilting' branchlets that hang vertically
Gray-brown bark that peels off in long, thin vertical strips
Small, round cones (8-12 mm) with 4-6 scales and a small point
Foliage arranged in flat, pendulous sprays

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours Daylight hours

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Season Year-round

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Diet As a photosynthetic autotroph, it creates its own energy from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, while drawing minerals from moist, acidic soils.

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Habitat Found in cool, humid coastal forests, subalpine ridges, and boggy sites.

public Geographic range

Where Does the Alaska yellow cedar Live?

Native to the Pacific coast of North America, the Alaska yellow cedar thrives in the cool, misty corridor stretching from the Prince William Sound in Alaska down through British Columbia. Its range extends southward into the Olympic Mountains of Washington and the Cascade Range of Oregon, with isolated populations found as far south as the Siskiyou Mountains in northern California. It is a specialist of the temperate rainforest, rarely found far from the influence of maritime moisture.

Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors

2 Countries

450K km² Range

Least Concern Conservation

US United States CA Canada

Elevation range

0 m1,000 m2,000 m4,000 m

Sea level – 2,300 m

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iNaturalist / Verified observation data

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Behavior

The Alaska yellow cedar is a remarkably slow-growing and long-lived species, with some individuals surviving for over 1,000 years. Unlike many faster-growing conifers, this tree invests heavily in its chemical defenses, producing a rot-resistant wood that smells faintly of raw potatoes or resin when cut. It is a shade-tolerant species, often found growing in the understory of old-growth forests before eventually reaching the canopy.

In its natural ecosystem, the tree plays a vital role in providing habitat for various wildlife. Its dense, weeping foliage offers excellent thermal cover for birds and small mammals during the harsh winters of the Pacific Northwest. While it doesn't 'behave' in the animal sense, it is currently at the center of an ecological mystery known as 'yellow cedar decline,' where thinning snowpacks cause its shallow roots to freeze, leading to widespread mortality in certain regions.

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Camera Tips

When capturing the Alaska yellow cedar on a trail camera, your goal is to showcase its unique 'weeping' architecture. Place your camera at a wide angle and a distance of 10-15 feet to capture the full silhouette of the tree against the sky or forest backdrop. The drooping branches are its most photogenic feature, especially when heavy with rain or snow. To highlight the texture of the shredding bark, set a secondary camera closer to the trunk at chest height (about 4-5 feet) with high-contrast settings.

Because this tree is a magnet for forest birds like the Varied Thrush and various nuthatches, position your camera to overlook the mid-canopy branches if possible. If you are using an AI-powered camera in your backyard, placing it near the base of the tree can capture the many small mammals, such as Douglas squirrels, that frequent the tree for cover. The yellow cedar's foliage remains vibrant year-round, making it an excellent subject for time-lapse photography to document the changing light of the seasons.

For the best results, utilize the early morning or 'blue hour' light. The soft, diffused light of a cloudy Pacific Northwest day prevents the deep shadows that can obscure the intricate patterns of the scale-like leaves. If your camera has a macro mode or high-resolution sensor, try to get a shot of the small, spherical cones in late summer. During winter, ensure your camera is positioned to handle the high-contrast white of snow resting on the dark green boughs, perhaps by adjusting the exposure compensation slightly downward.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Alaska yellow cedar.

Western Hemlock

While both have drooping tops, the hemlock has short, flat needles rather than the scale-like leaves found on the yellow cedar.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Look at the branchlets: Alaska yellow cedar has drooping, vertical sprays that look 'wilted,' while Western red cedar has flatter, more horizontal sprays that resemble fern fronds. Additionally, the cones of the Alaska yellow cedar are round, whereas Western red cedar cones look like tiny rosebuds.

It is a very slow-growing tree. In the wild, it may only grow a few inches in height per year, but this slow growth contributes to its incredibly dense and rot-resistant wood.

No, it is technically a cypress (Cupressaceae family). Like many North American 'cedars,' it was named by early settlers for its aromatic wood, but it is more closely related to Junipers and False Cypresses.

They are most common in the temperate rainforests of Southeast Alaska and British Columbia, particularly in moist, high-elevation sites or near coastal bogs.

The name comes from the distinct sulfur-yellow color of its heartwood, which is highly prized by woodworkers and Indigenous carvers for its strength and beauty.

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