Identify the Cedars

Cedar (Cedrus) is a genus of coniferous trees in the plant family Pinaceae. They are most closely related to the Firs (Abies), sharing a very similar cone structure. I include Thuja, Chamaecyparis and Juniperus because of their confusing common names and botanical similarity. Still, they are not taxonomically true cedars.

The Common North American "Cedars"

• Atlantic white cedar
• northern white cedar
• Port-Orford cedar
• Alaska cedar
• eastern redcedar
  

Leaves: persistent, decussate, scale-like.

Bark: reddish, peeling and vertically furrowed.

Fruit: Woody, fleshy cones.

Other Conifers:
| baldcypress | Douglas-fir | fir | hemlock | larch | pine | redwood | spruce |

ID Glossary