Calocedrus decurrens

Calocedrus decurrens is a large tree, typically reaching heights of 40–60 m (130–195 ft) and a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft). The largest known tree, located in Klamath National Forest, Siskiyou County, California,[8] is 157.42 ft (47.98 m) tall with a 472-inch (12.0-meter) circumference trunk and a 57.42-foot (17.50-meter) spread.[8] It has a broad conic crown of spreading branches. The bark is orange-brown weathering grayish, smooth at first, becoming fissured and exfoliating in long strips on the lower trunk on old trees.

The foliage is produced in flattened sprays with scale-like leaves 2–15 mm (³⁄₃₂–¹⁹⁄₃₂ in) long; they are arranged in opposite decussate pairs, with the successive pairs closely then distantly spaced, so forming apparent whorls of four; the facial pairs are flat, with the lateral pairs folded over their bases. The leaves are bright green on both sides of the shoots with only inconspicuous stomata.[7] The foliage, when crushed, gives off an aroma somewhat akin to shoe-polish.

The seed cones are 20–35 mm (³⁄₄–1 ³⁄₈ in) long, pale green to yellow, with four (rarely six) scales arranged in opposite decussate pairs; the outer pair of scales each bears two winged seeds, the inner pair(s) usually being sterile and fused together in a flat plate. The cones turn orange to yellow-brown when mature about 8 months after pollination. The pollen cones are 6–8 mm (¹⁄₄–⁵⁄₁₆ in) long.[7]

The bulk of the range is in the United States, from central western Oregon through most of California and the extreme west of Nevada, and also a short distance into northwest Mexico in northern Baja California.

It grows at altitudes of 50–2,900 metres (160–9,510 ft)

This tree is the preferred host of a wood wasp, Syntexis libocedrii a species which lays its eggs in the smoldering wood immediately after a forest fire.[6] The tree is also host to incense-cedar mistletoe (Phoradendron libocedri), a parasitic plant which can often be found hanging from its branches.[9]

The incense cedar is one of the most fire and drought tolerant plants in California. Although the tree is killed by hot, stand-replacing crown fire, it spreads rapidly after lower intensity burns.[10] This has given the incense cedar a competitive advantage over other species such as the bigcone Douglas-fir in recent years.

The wood is the primary material for wooden pencils, because it is soft and tends to sharpen easily without forming splinters.

• Cedar wood
• List of California native plants
• Plants used in traditional Native American medicine

• 
  Incense cedar tree in McMinnville, Oregon
• 
  Incense cedar trunks in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California.
• 
  Cones and seeds
• 
  Foliage and pollen cones
• 
  Opened cones
• 
  Young female cones

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calocedrus decurrens.

• Calflora
• Jepson eFlora, The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley
• Calocedrus decurrens in the CalPhotos Photo Database, University of California, Berkeley