1984. If it were to be used for a totem pole or building materials, it would be towed in the round to the village. In 1893 the tree died in a fire and in 1916 the drive-through tunnel was cut. The Quileute make the hearth of the fire drill of cedar, as well as the spindle for spinning mountain-goat wool. Description: This native conifer's strong pyramidal form and gray-red fibrous bark are an appreciated site throughout Pacific Northwest gardens. Cedar limbs are used for openwork baskets by the Quinault and Squaxin, and also for weaving with vine maple sticks for fish weirs, and by the Snuqualmi for tying the poles of the summer house. Best in full sun with well-drained soil. USAGE: Internal / External Joinery More sizes and mouldings available. Van Pelt, Robert. Red cedar Description. A moderately large tree in the Long Island grove, Washington [C.J. One fine stand is laced by a nature trail near where Highway 4 reaches the coast. Stewart, Hilary. Redcedar branches are very flexible and have good tensile strength. A spray of foliage, 15 cm long, lower side [C.J. Workability: Overall, Aromatic Red Cedar is easy to work, notwithstanding any knots or irregularities present in the wood. Historically, western red cedar (also known as western redcedar) was a very important plant for the indigenous or First Nations people who lived in the coastal area. Western Red Cedar Thuja plicata. House planks, house posts, roof boards, and canoes are made exclusively of this wood. The seeds are 4 to 5 mm long and 1 mm (0.039 in) broad, with a narrow papery wing down each side. 1997. Therefore, tropolone content may be used as an indicator of decay resistance. Bark harvesting was mostly done by women, despite the danger of climbing 10 meters in the air, because they were the primary makers of bark goods.[67]. A pleasant path winds through the Bernard DeVoto Cedar Grove in Idaho [C.J. The Nolan Creek cedar on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, one of the largest known specimens. This low-lying mosaic of swamps and estuaries represents a habitat long since destroyed in the U.S. by logging, and is (unlike many similar forests in BC) readily accessible. Its foliage develops in sprays about 6 in (15 cm) long with sm… Western Red Cedar Tight Knot This #2 and better selected for appearance grade sample is a 6x18 Western Red Cedar beam we recently shipped. The foliage sprays are green above and green marked with whitish stomatal bands below; they are strongly aromatic, with a scent reminiscent of pineapple when crushed. The power of the redcedar tree was said to be so strong a person could receive strength by standing with his or her back to the tree. Gartner. Description The Excelsa is a beautiful Western Red cedar that reaches great heights and provides an excellent opportunity for privacy screens or hedges. The wood is light, durable, and easy to work with. Tolerant of dry, windy conditions once established. "The limbs of the cedar tree are stripped of their leaves, soaked in water, and twisted into rope. Some northwest coast tribes refer to themselves as "people of the redcedar" because of their extensive dependence on the tree for basic materials. [5] The tree is shade-tolerant and able to reproduce under dense shade. A tall, conical, evergreen tree, reaching up to 65m. [28] The tallest known individual is the Willaby Creek Tree south of Lake Quinault, 195 feet (59 m) in height. Description. Located near the northwest shore of Lake Quinault north of Aberdeen, Washington, about 34 km (21 mi) from the Pacific Ocean, it was one-third the volume of the largest known tree, a giant sequoia named "General Sherman". Western or giant redcedar, giant arborvitae, shinglewood, canoe cedar (Peattie 1950).