Incense cedar

Incense cedar Calacedrus decurrens

Description

Any of several aromatic coniferous trees from the genera Libocedrus or Calocedrus. Incense cedars are native to high altitudes in California and Oregon. These evergreen trees have flattened branches with scalelike leaves that produce a strong smell when broken. The close-grain, smooth wood of the incence cedar is lightweight and soft, but durable. The wood is used for pencils, storage chests, trellises, and closet linings.

Incense Cedar (Libocedrus decurrens)

Synonyms and Related Terms

white cedar; Librocedrus decurrens; Calocedrus decurrens; cèdre à encens (Fr.)

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Large tree growing to 60 m with trunk diameter of 3 m.
• Density = 26 pcf
• Heartwood is light to medium reddish brown; sapwood is light tan
• Grain is straight and medium uniform texture
• Pockets of fungal decay may exist (called pecky cedar)
• Dried wood is durable to weathering
• Odor is spicy

Working Properties

• Easy to work with both hand and machine tools.
• Holds paint very well.
• Stains, glues, and finishes well.
• Excellent dimensional stability.

Resources and Citations

• The Wood Database: Incense cedar

• Western Pine Association, Portland, Oregon: air-dry weight = 26 pcf

• Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "incense cedar." 21 Oct. 2004 .

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incense_cedar (Accessed Feb. 2, 2006)

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998