Red Cedar

The Western Red cedar is a very large, it can rage from 210- 130 feet tall. They are known for an exceptionally large trunk. It is long-lived; some individuals can live well over a thousand years, with the oldest verified being 1,460 years.

The foliage forms flat scale lace like leaves that are in opposite pairs.  The foliage sprays are green above, and green marked with whitish stomatal bands below; they are strongly aromatic. The cones are slender, 10–18 mm long a they are green to yellow-green, ripening brown in fall about six months after pollination. This could be part of the reason the Western Redcedar is among the most widespread trees in the Pacific Northwest, it can also grow in temperate zones as well. 

Thuja plicata is one of two Thuja species native to North America, derives from a Greek word meaning "folded in plaits", a reference to the pattern of its small leaves.

The soft red-brown timber is valued for its distinct appearance, aroma, and its high natural resistance to decay. It is being extensively used for outdoor construction in the form of posts, decking, shingles and siding. It is used for building chests and cabinets  for its pungent aromatic oils are believed to discourage moth and carpet beetle larvae, which can damage cloth by eating wool and similar fibers.  Its light weight, strength and dark warm sound make it a popular choice for guitar soundboards.

Western Red Cedar has an extensive history of use by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast , from Oregon to southeast Alaska. Some northwest coast tribes refer to themselves as "people of the red cedar" because of their extensive dependence on the tree for basic materials. The cedar wood has been used for constructing housing, totem poles , and crafted into many objects, including masks, utensils, boxes, boards, instruments, canoes, vessels, and ceremonial objects. Roots and bark were used for baskets, ropes, clothing, blankets and rings.