Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 2683894

Nootka Cypress

Xanthocyparis nootkatensis

Also known as Alaska Cedar, Yellow Cedar, Alaska Yellow Cedar, Nootka Cedar

Nootka cypresses are slow-growing, long-lived conifers characterized by weeping foliage sprays and distinctive yellow-tinted, decay-resistant heartwood. Thriving in the wet subalpine forests and bogs of northwestern North America, some specimens reach ages exceeding 1,000 years. Climate change and diminishing winter snowpacks present growing challenges to their shallow, cold-sensitive root systems.

ConiferEvergreenPacific Northwest
Nootka Cypress reference
Licensed referenceWalter Siegmund (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Bark beetles
  • Deer
  • Porcupines
ThreatsDecreasing snowpack leading to root freezing, climate change, overharvesting
HabitatsSubalpine forests, coastal rainforests, mountain bogs, rocky slopes
Life span1,000–3,500 years
Classification
  1. OrderPinales
  2. FamilyCupressaceae
  3. GenusXanthocyparis
  4. SpeciesXanthocyparis nootkatensis
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.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Look for weeping foliage sprays and small, round cones with sharp central points.
  • Habitat Spotting: Seek out misty, damp subalpine slopes and bogs across the Pacific Northwest.
  • Etiquette: Avoid soil compaction around old trees to protect their shallow root systems.
Related species
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