Cedar Wood

Cedar wood comes from several different trees that grow in different parts of the world, and may have different uses.

• California incense-cedar, from Calocedrus decurrens, is the primary type of wood used for making pencils
• Taiwan incense-cedar, comes from Calocedrus formosana, an endangered species that has been over-harvested for its fragrant decay-resistant wood
• Chinese incense-cedar, comes from Calocedrus macrolepis, which has been over-harvested for its fragrant decay-resistant wood
• Cigar-box cedar or Spanish cedar, from Cedrela odorata, is fragrant, insect-repellent, and light-weight, primarily used to protect clothing from insects
• Cedar from Cedrus, was once an important timber in the Mediterranean area, used for building and shipbuilding, but severely overexploited for thousands of years.
• Port Orford cedar, from the western North American tree Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, is light-weight and durable, and particularly valued in east Asia
• Japanese cedar, from Cryptomeria japonica, is a light-weight wood used in house-building
• Mexican white cedar from Cupressus lusitanica, comes from a drought-resistant tree that has been widely cultivated for its timber for centuries
• Eastern red cedar from Juniperus virginiana, is soft, red, fine-grained, fragrant, and decay-resistant, often used for fence posts
• Ceylon cedar from Melia azedarach, is a high-quality timber that resembles teak
• Western red cedar from Thuja plicata, is soft red-brown, aromatic, decay-resistant, used for outdoor construction, shingles, and guitar-making,
• Northern white cedar from Thuja occidentalis, comes from a relatively small tree, and is used for canoe-making, log cabins, fences, and shingles
• Australian red cedar from Toona ciliata, is red, highly valued, and easy to work, used for furniture-making and shipbuilding