The term “cedar” in the United States refers to a diverse array of aromatic evergreen trees that share a common name but not always a close botanical relationship. These species are spread across the continent, thriving in environments ranging from the acidic swamps of the Atlantic coast to the high-elevation slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Understanding the distribution of cedar requires distinguishing between the different species commonly grouped under this single label.
The Trees Commonly Called Cedar
The term “cedar” in North America is applied broadly to several native conifer species, few of which are actually “true cedars” belonging to the genus Cedrus. True cedars, such as the Cedar of Lebanon, are native to the Mediterranean and Himalayas and are largely planted in the US as ornamental trees. The native species commonly called cedar belong primarily to the Cypress family (Cupressaceae), not the Pine family (Pinaceae) like true cedars.
The native US species carrying this common name fall into three main genera:
- The Juniperus genus includes the widespread Eastern Redcedar, which is technically a juniper.
- The Thuja genus contains the Western Redcedar and Northern White-cedar, often called arborvitae.
- The Chamaecyparis genus includes species like the Atlantic White-cedar and Port Orford Cedar.
These native species share the characteristic of aromatic, rot-resistant wood and scale-like foliage, which led to the widespread adoption of the common name “cedar.”
Distribution of Eastern and Coastal Species
The Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) is the most widely distributed conifer in the eastern half of the country, found in nearly every state east of the Great Plains. This species is highly adaptable, thriving in disturbed areas, abandoned fields, and along fence rows from southern Canada down to the Gulf Coast and west to Nebraska. It often colonizes dry, nutrient-poor sites, showing an affinity for limestone-derived soils and rocky uplands.
Its resilience allows it to survive in environments too harsh for many hardwood competitors, including areas with high salt tolerance near the coast. It generally avoids rich, moist bottomlands where competition from faster-growing, shade-tolerant trees is intense. A distinct variety, the Southern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola), is found in a narrow belt along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, stretching from Virginia to Texas.
The Atlantic White-cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) has a more restricted distribution than its eastern counterpart. This species is found in a patchy, narrow coastal belt extending from southern Maine down to northern Florida and west into southern Mississippi. It is highly dependent on specific hydrological conditions, growing almost exclusively in acidic freshwater swamps, bogs, and low-lying depressions.
These habitats are characterized by saturated, organic-rich muck or peat soils with a low pH, often between 3.5 and 5.5. Commercial concentrations are found in regions like the New Jersey Pine Barrens, southeastern Virginia, eastern North Carolina, and the Florida Panhandle. The tree requires a persistently high water table and is considered an obligate wetland species, rarely found more than 100 miles inland or above 150 feet in elevation.
Distribution of Western and Mountain Species
In the western United States, the species commonly called cedar are concentrated along the Pacific Coast and in high-elevation mountain ranges. The Western Redcedar (Thuja plicata) dominates the moist, maritime climate of the Pacific Northwest. Its native range extends from southeastern Alaska down through coastal British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, reaching northern California. This species is the largest in the cypress family and prefers cool, moist, and well-drained alluvial sites, often found in temperate rainforests.
While mainly a coastal species, the Western Redcedar also has inland populations in the northern Rocky Mountains, including parts of Idaho and northwestern Montana. There, it is typically restricted to river banks and sheltered valley bottoms. It is a highly shade-tolerant tree that establishes itself in the forest understory and is a long-lived component of old-growth ecosystems. The moist, high-rainfall environment of the Pacific Northwest is crucial for its growth, as it generally does not tolerate hot, dry summers found further inland.
The Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) is distributed across montane forests from central Oregon south through most of California and into western Nevada. It is a common component of mixed-conifer forests in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Range, growing at elevations from 160 feet up to 9,500 feet. This species is drought-tolerant and can thrive on a wide variety of soils, including xeric (dry) sites and exposed slopes.
The Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) has the most geographically restricted range of the major US cedars, confined to a small coastal area in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. Its primary habitat is within the Klamath Mountains, growing from sea level up to about 6,400 feet. It is often found along streams and in areas with consistent soil moisture seepage. The tree is valued for its unique wood but remains highly localized to this humid, fog-influenced corridor of the Pacific Coast.