Plant Name: Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (A. Murray) Parl.) Photo by Gary A. Monroe, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Common name: Port Orford Cedar
Plant type: Conifer Evergreen Tree (not a true cedar)
Height: 110’ – 180’ (Note: this is a huge tree. It’s not recommended for residential landscapes) *See uses below.
Spread: 30’ – 60’
Bloom Time: Cones, Not Flowers
Flower Color: Inconspicuous; Female Cone Green to Blue-Green Ripening to Brown; Male Cones Dark Brown to Red
Exposure: Sun or Partial Shade
Soil Requirements: Well-Drained, Moist; High Organic Matter
Water Needs: High to Moderate
Attributes: Male Pollen Cones on Tips of Branchlets; Winter Interest; Deer Resistant; Nesting Places for Wildlife; Wildlife Food Source;
Note: Short Ascending Branches, Drooping at Tips; Narrow, Pyramidal, Buttressed Trunk;Being Attacked by a Root Rot Fungus, Phytophthora lateralis, Which is Devastating the Species in the US; Phytophthora lateralis is a fungus which has spread through the native range of this tree at a rapid rate. It causes an often-fatal root rot disease which poses a significant threat to the survival of the species; Dead Branches may be Pruned, but do not cut into Living Wood. Prune in Winter when Wood Boring Insects are Less active
*Uses: Huge tree that is infrequently grown in landscapes.! A large number of compact to dwarf cultivars of this species are available in commerce for ornamental plantings; Hedge
Firewise: Considered a Firewise plant but do not plant a Port Orford Cedar within 50 feet of your house or outbuildings.
Native To: Coast of Southwestern OR, Siskiyou Mountains, Mount Shasta
Oregon Native: YES
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 8
Article by: Viki Ashford, AGC member
https://calscape.org/plant/Chamaecyparis-lawsoniana-%28Port-Orford-Cedar%29/gallery#
