Fauna
Plant

Port Orford Cedar

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana

Also known as Lawson's Cypress, Lawson Cypress, Port Orford White Cedar

Port Orford cedar is a massive, long-lived conifer characterized by fern-like sprays of blue-green foliage and deeply furrowed reddish-brown bark. Thriving in damp stream valleys and coastal mountains of the Pacific Northwest, old-growth specimens can survive for several centuries while anchoring riparian ecosystems. Populations face ongoing decline due to an introduced water mold that spreads through root contact and contaminated mud on forest roads.

ConiferEvergreenPacific Northwest
Port Orford Cedar reference1 / 7
(c) John Rusk, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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Near ThreatenedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNear ThreatenedRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySunlight, water, and soil nutrients
Predators
  • Black-tailed Deer
  • Douglas Squirrels
ThreatsInvasive root rot mold (Phytophthora lateralis), timber harvesting, climate change
HabitatsCoastal river valleys, mountain stream margins, damp mixed conifer forests
Life span500–600+ years
Classification
  1. FamilyCupressaceae
  2. SpeciesChamaecyparis lawsoniana
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
What to notice
Recognizable by flat, lacy sprays of foliage with tiny white X patterns on the leaf undersides.
Support conservation
Stay on designated trails and avoid driving on unpaved roads through watersheds during wet weather.
Responsible observation
  • Identify by foliage: Look for white X-shaped markings on the undersides of the scale-like leaves.
  • Prevent disease spread: Clean muddy boots and vehicle tires before entering cedar habitat to avoid spreading root rot spores.
  • Respect forest closures: Obey seasonal road closures designed to protect vulnerable stands from water mold contamination.
Related species
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