Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Pioneers used the wood for building homes
Plant Profile: Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides
Names
Atlantic White-cedar
Phonetic Spelling:kam-ee-SIP-a-riss thy-OY-deez var. thy-OY-deez
Genus:Chamaecyparis
Species:thyoides
Family:Cupressaceae
Atlantic White Cedar, a native evergreen belonging to the cypress family, thrives in the wetland regions and along streambanks of the eastern United States, spanning from New Jersey to Florida, including North Carolina's coastal areas. Due to its particular environmental requirements, this tree is not cultivated for commercial purposes. Its leaves are scale-like and remain green year-round, with branches that grow in a distinctive fan shape, often leading to confusion with arborvitae.
This species flourishes in consistently moist to wet soils, preferring locations that receive full sun to partial shade, while also requiring shelter from strong winds. It is well-suited for growth in bogs, swampy areas, or alongside ponds and streams.
For further details on Chamaecyparis thyoides, additional resources are available.
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Feature Summary
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Image Gallery
Tags
#native tree
#riparian
#wet sites
#stream banks
#NC native
#deer browsing plant
#swamps
#larval host plant
#food source fall
#Coastal OBL
#food source herbage
#Piedmont Mountains OBL
#wet soils tolerant
#bird friendly
#mammals
#audubon
Similar Plants
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides is often confused with:
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Feature Summary
Attributes
Pioneers used the wood for building homes
Southeastern U.S.A.
AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA
Butterfly larval host. Deer browse the plant in winter.
Woody
Fruit
Female cones are inconspicuous and are yellow to red maturing to brown at the tips of short branchlets containing 5-15 winged seeds. Displays from October to November.
Brown/Copper
Flowers
No true flowers, male and female cones produced
Spring
Leaves
Scalelike leaves are paired, have short points on the tip and average 0.06 to 0.13 inch.
Needled Evergreen
Green
Needles
Opposite
Entire
< 1 inch
Fragrant
< 1 inch
Bark
"Bark dark brownish red, irregularly furrowed and ridged
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Ridges
Furrowed
Irregular
Stem
Branches grow in fan-like sprays
Whole Plant Traits
Tree
Native Plant
Needled Evergreen
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Conical
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Occasional Flooding
12-24 feet
Coastal
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Rain Garden
Water Garden
Wet Soil
Riparian
Pond
Butterflies
Songbirds
Small Mammals
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Image Gallery
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Attributes
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Country Or Region Of Origin
Southeastern U.S.A.
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Distribution
AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, VA
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Wildlife Value
Butterfly larval host. Deer browse the plant in winter.
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Fruit
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Fruit Description
Female cones are inconspicuous and are yellow to red maturing to brown at the tips of short branchlets containing 5-15 winged seeds. Displays from October to November.
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Flowers
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Flower Description
No true flowers, male and female cones produced
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Leaves
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Description
Scalelike leaves are paired, have short points on the tip and average 0.06 to 0.13 inch.
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Color
Green
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Bark
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Bark Description
"Bark dark brownish red, irregularly furrowed and ridged
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Bark Plate Shape
Diamond
Irregular
Oval
Rectangle
Round
Square
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Stem
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Stem Description
Branches grow in fan-like sprays
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Whole Plant Traits
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Cultural Conditions
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides Landscape
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Chamaecyparis thyoides var. thyoides: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
