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General Characteristics

Western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) is a high-value species throughout its range. The wood is light and easy to work and has a high natural resistance to decay.

Redcedar is rated as being very tolerant of shade. Advance individuals can come from seed but in mature stands are more often "veglings," originating from layering of branches or fallen saplings. Juvenile redcedar does not compete for dominant crown positions as well as associated conifers in the Inland Mountain West, prompting Haig and others to state that "redcedar makes the slowest early growth, and never achieves dominance in a young stand." A regeneration height growth equation developed by Wykoff and others quantifies this observation. Among associated species, redcedar has the slowest growth rate over time.

Release Interactions

Koenigs noted a high incidence of root rots 20 years after releasing a western redcedar stand. Armillaria mellea was found on 41 percent of released trees compared to 12 percent on nonreleased trees. Diameter growth response was initially good but rapidly declined between the fifth and 10th years due to root rot. A later study of 15 released western redcedar stands did not find this decline in growth rate or indications of increased root rot problems.

Response to Release

Pole-size or larger western redcedar respond well to release. Good prospects for release are associated with northerly slopes and larger (but younger) trees on habitat types where redcedar is the climax species.

Regeneration-size redcedar does respond with increased height growth after overstory removal, but growth rates are low compared to associated species, and redcedar soon loses its competitive advantage. Deitschman and Pfister (1973) reported on a stand in northern Idaho where the overstory was removed and regeneration thinned to favor white pine and redcedar. The redcedar averaged 4.5 ft. tall. Reinvasion by western hemlock and grand fir was substantial, and within 10 years after release, these two species were as tall as the released redcedar. Meanwhile, the released white pine responded well and grew twice as fast as other species.

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