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Nootka cypress

plant
Also known as: Alaska cedar, Alaska cypress, Chamaecyparis nootkatensis, Sitka cypress, canoe cypress, yellow cedar, yellow cypress(Show More)

Quick Summary

The Nootka cypress, also known as Alaska cedar or yellow cypress, is an evergreen conifer native to the Pacific coast of North America. This slow-growing tree has reddish to grayish-brown bark and scalelike leaves. It is often cultivated for ornamental purposes. The hard, durable, yellowish wood of the Alaska cedar is valuable and used for boats, furniture, and paneling. The Nootka cypress belongs to the genus Chamaecyparis, which are commonly called false cypresses. These trees differ from true cypresses in having smaller, rounded cones with fewer seeds.12

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