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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
ABBREVIATION :
CALDEC
SYNONYMS :
Libocedrus decurrens Torr. [26]
SCS PLANT CODE :
LIDE
COMMON NAMES :
incense-cedar
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name for incense-cedar is Calocedrus
decurrens (Torrey) Florin. There are no infrataxa [28].
LIFE FORM :
Tree
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
R. J. Habeck, May 1992
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Habeck, R. J. 1992. Calocedrus decurrens. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Incense-cedar is generally found from the southern slope of Mount Hood,
Oregon, southward through the Siskiyou, Klamath, and Warner mountains,
Cascade and Coast ranges, and from the Sierra Nevada to the Hanson
Laguna and Sierra de San Pedro Martir ranges in Baja, California.
Incense-cedar is most common in the Sierra Nevada, occurring
individually or in small groups [19]. It is cultivated in Hawaii [30].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES28 Western hardwoods
STATES :
CA HI NV OR MEXICO
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
CRLA DEPO KICA LAVO LABE REDW
SEQU WHIS YOSE
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
1 Northern Pacific Border
2 Cascade Mountains
3 Southern Pacific Border
4 Sierra Mountains
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K002 Cedar - hemlock - Douglas-fir forest
K005 Mixed conifer forest
K006 Redwood forest
SAF COVER TYPES :
229 Pacific Douglas-fir
230 Douglas-fir - western hemlock
233 Oregon white oak
234 Douglas-fir - tanoak - Pacific madrone
243 Sierra Nevada mixed conifer
244 Pacific ponderosa pine - Douglas-fir
245 Pacific ponderosa pine
246 California black oak
247 Jeffrey pine
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
On dry, shady sites, incense-cedar is considered climax due in part to
its relative tolerance of shade. In the northern Oregon Cascades,
however, incense-cedar typically grows as a minor component of stands
dominated by western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), western redcedar (Thuja
plicata), and grand fir (Abies grandis) [1].
Typically, incense-cedar is found in mixed-forest types and rarely in
pure stands. Overstory associates found throughout its range include
white fir (Abies concolor), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), Jeffrey
pine (P. jeffreyi), sugar pine (P. lambertiana), and California black
oak (Quercus kelloggii) [19].
A publication listing incense-cedar as a dominant species in a plant
association is:
Preliminary plant associations of the southern Oregon Cascade Mountain
Province [2]
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
Incense-cedar wood is resistant to decay, making it very desirable for
exterior use. This wood is used as mud sills, window sashes, sheathing
under stucco or brick veneer construction, greenhouse benches, fencing,
poles, and trellises. It is also widely used for exterior and interior
siding. Much of the top quality incense-cedar is used in the
manufacture of pencils [19].
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Incense-cedar is rated low to moderate in value as a wildlife browse.
It is browsed moderately by mule deer in California [12,16]. Its seeds
are eaten by small mammals but are not a preferred food of chipmunks.
The presence of oils in the seeds may make them unpalatable [11,25].
PALATABILITY :
Incense-cedar is low in palatability to livestock and wildlife [25].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
Wildlife primarily use incense-cedar as cover. Large mammals use dense,
young stands as hiding and thermal cover. Mature trees are used to a
limited extent by arboreal species such as birds, squirrels, and other
small mammals [10].
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
Incense-cedar is widely planted in the mountains for erosion control.
Los Angeles County has used this species with good success on road fills
and along streams at altitudes from 2,000 to 6,000 feet (610-1,829 m)
[12].
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
Incense-cedar is an attractive landscape tree [12].
Essential leaf oils commercially extracted from incense-cedar are as
follows [3]:
Oil Specific Principal
Yield* Gravity** Constituents
----- -------- ------------
.23 .8655-.8733 a-pinene, limonene, librocedrene, borneal
* Percent of fresh weight.
** At 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 deg C).
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Disease: The most damaging agent to incense-cedar is pocket dry rot
(Tyromyces amarus). This fungus affects 75 to 100 percent of mature
trees in parts of the Sierra Nevada. Fire scars provide the most
prevalent point of entry for this fungus's spores. Generally,
suppressed trees are subject to severe dry rot infections after they
reach 165 years, but open-grown trees are safe until they reach 210
years old. Two other fungi that occasionally rot the heartwood of
living incense-cedar are Phellinus pini and Phaeolus schweinitzii.
Root disease kills more incense-cedar than any other pathogen. The most
destructive fungus is Heterobasidion annosum. This and other fungi
contribute to a serious problem of wind-fall trees, which cause
considerable property damage. The only foliar disease is caused by
Gymnosporangium libocedri. This disease causes witches broom on young
branches [19].
Insects: Many species of insects are found on incense-cedar, but few
cause any serious damage. A cone sawfly (Augomonoctenus libocedrii)
does minimal damage to incense-cedar cones. Six species of cedar bark
beetles have been found to consume the inner cambium. Although damage
is usually minimal, beetles occasionally become sufficiently numerous
and aggressive to attack and kill healthy trees [19].
Ozone from air pollution does not harm incense-cedar [19].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Incense-cedar forms a dense, narrow, pyramidal crown. It has flattened
branchlets with green overlapping scales. Cones are oblong, small (0.8
to 1.5 inches [2.00-3.75 cm]), and hang from the tip of the branch.
Bark on mature trees is dark brown, fibrous, and deeply and irregularly
furrowed [1,6].
In the Coast Ranges and southern California, the largest trees
generally are from 60 to 80 feet (18-24 m) tall and 36 to 48 inches
(90-120 cm) d.b.h. In the Sierra Nevada, they frequently grow to heights
of 150 feet (46 m) with d.b.h's of about 84 inches (210 cm). Trees
have been measured at 225 feet (69 m) tall and 148 inches (375 cm) d.b.h.
Incense-cedar is a long-lived species. Large trees are often over 500
years old. The oldest recorded incense-cedar is 542 years old [19].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Incense-cedar does not reproduce vegetatively in nature but can under
greenhouse conditions [19].
Flowering and fruiting: Terminal strobili are borne as early as
September and shed pollen in late winter to early spring. Incense-cedar
is monoecious. Cones mature in late summer. Each seed has two
unequal-sized wings. Embryos have two cotyledons [19].
Seed production and dissemination: Seed crops may fluctuate from
prolific crops every 3 to 6 years, to years without any seed production.
As many as 389,100 seeds per acre (961,500/ha) may fall during heavy
production years. Seed production varies greatly with geographic
distribution. Seed dispersal begins in late August in the lower
elevations, and in October at higher elevations. Incense-cedar averages
15,000 seeds per pound (33,100/kg) and varies from 6,400 to 29,000 seeds
per pound (14,100-63,900/kg). Seeds fall slowly (5.9 feet per second
[1.8 m/s]) and are carried great distances by wind [19].
Seedling development: Cold stratification may double the germination
rate for incense-cedar. Germination under controlled conditions may be
as high as 98 percent but usually averages 20 to 40 percent. In natural
conditions, germination is best under partial shade. Initial growth is
typically slow to moderate compared to other conifers. Root growth is
slow the first year but develops rapidly by the second growing season.
Established incense-cedar seedlings are very drought tolerant due to
their fine-root mass [19].
Growth and yield: Incense-cedar growth varies greatly by location. It
grows more slowly than associated conifers. On poor sites,
incense-cedar has been known to do well, often outcompeting all of its
associates. On good sites, however, it generally falls behind due to an
increase in shade. Incense-cedar shows good response to release. Much
of the extremely slow growth of seedlings results from suppression or
browsing. When released, seedlings grow rapidly, but because height
growth is usually slower than that of associated species of comparable
age, incense-cedar is usually a secondary species in mature conifer
stands [19].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Incense-cedar is a good competitor on hot, dry sites and is commonly
found on southwestern slopes.
Climate: Incense-cedar occurs where the summers are typically dry, with
less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) of precipitation per month. Annual
precipitation varies from 20 to 80 inches (50-200 cm) and may be as low
as 15 inches (38 cm) a year on the east side of the Cascades and in the
Warner Mountains of Oregon and California. Temperatures range from -30
to 118 degrees Fahrenheit (-34 - 48 deg C) [19].
Soils: Incense-cedar may grow on a wide variety of soils derived from
many kinds of parent materials. It has been found to extract soil
phosphorus and calcium, and exclude surplus magnesium. Soil pH ranges
from nearly neutral to strongly acidic. Textures vary from coarse sands
to very fine clays. Incense-cedar grows best on deep, well-drained,
sandy loam soils developed on granitic rocks and sandstones; deep clay
loams developed on basalt and rhyolite; and occasionally on deep,
coarse-textured, well-drained soils developed from pumice [19].
Elevation: Incense-cedar grows between 165 and 6,600 feet (50-2,010 m)
at its northern distribution, and between 3,000 and 9,700 feet
(910-2,960 m) in its southern limits. In the Sierra Nevada,
incense-cedar grows best at elevations between 2,000 and 6,900 feet
(610-2,100 m) [19].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Facultative Seral Species
Along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, incense-cedar and white
fir form an understory in forests of ponderosa and sugar pine. In early
seral development, small groups of these trees grow beneath the canopy
in shady conditions until an opening in the crown is created.
Incense-cedar will then establish as a codominant species in the stand
[15].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Seasonal growth durations of incense-cedar at various elevations in the
Sierra Nevada are as follows [8]:
Height Radial
Growth* Growth
------ ------
Start (days)** 144 105
Start (date) May 24 April 15
Length (days) 91 136
Rapidity (day) 37 39
* An 8-year average.
** Number of days from January 1st.
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Incense-cedar is highly susceptible to fire [20,24]. Incense-cedar
seedlings have very flammable bark and foliage, and are usually totally
consumed by fire. More mature trees have a thicker basal bark (up to 6
inches [15 cm]) that adequately protects them from ground fires [1].
Incense-cedar shows best seedling germination on fresh mineral soil or
very light litter [13]. Incense-cedar sheds its needles in late August
and produces about 2,000 pounds of litter per acre (4,940/ha) per year.
This deep litter layer provides sufficient fuel for moderate- to
high-severity fires [5].
A study of incense-cedar dry rot furnished the most complete record of
the fire history in the mixed conifer ecosystem. The shortest period
between fires was 3 years, the longest was 11, with high-severity fires
occurring every 8 years on average [13]. In Lava Beds National
Monument, California, historical records show presettlement fire
intervals to have been every 7.3 to 17 years [18].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Incense-cedar seedlings and saplings are more readily killed by fire
than most of their associates. Heat-kill is responsible for much of the
mortality. In northern California, a study found nearly all individual
seedlings and saplings were killed by a low-severity fire [23]. These
results are consistent with those from Lava Beds National Monument,
where incense-cedar is considered a decreaser following fire [18].
Incense-cedar has unprotected buds and finely divided foliage that is
damaged by fire [24].
Mature incense-cedar's thick bark offers sufficient protection from
excessive heat. Most studies find that only an occasional mature
incense-cedar will succumb to surface fire. Moderate- to high-severity
surface fires that damage trunks, however, make the trees susceptibile
to dry rot infection [12,19,24].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
Crown damage: Generally, incense-cedar does not replace foliage, buds,
or twigs killed by fire. Thus, the amount of green foliage present in
scorched crowns following fire is reasonably close to the amount of
foiliage that will be present in the future [27].
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Enhanced incense-cedar seed germination occurs on the exposed mineral
soil seedbed created by low-severity fire [19,24].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
In the central Sierra Nevada, spring is the most satisfactory season for
low-severity burning to thin stands of incense-cedar. Insects, however,
may attack young trees weakened by the treatment [23]. Incense-cedar showed
an 8 to 12 times greater chance of mortality by insect attack after fire than
before fire. Heavy losses from insects will continue for about 2 years after
burning [24].
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Calocedrus decurrens | Incense-Cedar
REFERENCES :
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2. Atzet, Thomas; McCrimmon, Lisa A. 1990. Preliminary plant associations
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Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Siskiyou National Forest. 330
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3. Bailey, Lowell F. 1948. Leaf oils from Tennessee Valley conifers.
Journal of Forestry. 46(12): 882-889. [13265]
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reptiles, and amphibians by BLM physiographic regions and A.W. Kuchler's
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U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management. 169 p.
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Canada. Washington, DC: Society of American Foresters. 148 p. [905]
8. Fowells, H. A. 1941. The period of seasonal growth of ponderosa pine and
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following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
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National Monument. In: Proceedings of the 1st conference on scientific
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Francisco CA. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, National
Park Service: 1209-1217. [1537]
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incense-cedar. In: Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H., technical
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Index
Related categories for Species: Calocedrus decurrens
| Incense-Cedar
|
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