Incense cedar

Calocedrus decurrens

In other languages: Wierookceder (Nederlands) · Cèdre à encens (Français)

Incense cedar comes from western North America, from Oregon to California and Mexico. Despite its name it is not a true cedar but a member of the cypress family. It forms a narrow, columnar, evergreen tree with flat sprays of glossy, dark green, scale-like leaves. The wood and twigs smell aromatic, especially when bruised or in warm weather. In a garden it stays far narrower than in the wild, so it also suits a smaller garden as a striking conifer.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Dry to normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand, loam or clay
any pH
Hardiness
Fully hardy
down to -25 °C
Size
20 m
tall, 4 m wide

Key facts
Height	20 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous

Identify

Incense cedar: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Narrow, straight column or cone, up to about 20 m tall and 4 m wide; branches reach right down to the ground.
Leaves: Small, scale-like leaves in flat, fan-shaped sprays; glossy dark green and aromatic.
Bark: Reddish-brown and fibrous, deeply furrowed; it comes away in long strips.
Cones: Small, reddish-brown cones about 2 cm long that open like a duck’s bill.
Scent: Twigs and wood smell aromatic, especially when bruised.

Plants: April–May and September–October

In your garden

Why grow it?

Narrow column about 4 m wide: a slender focal point that takes little room.
Dark green all year, so it gives solid structure in the garden even in winter.
Aromatic scent from the foliage and wood.
Tolerates drought and most soils, including chalky ones.
Works as a specimen, as a screen in a row or as a natural divider.

Incense cedar: where does it grow best?

Sun to partial shade; it grows best in full sun.
Well-drained soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
Dry to normally moist; it tolerates drought but not wet feet.
Plant at least 2–3 m from buildings or other trees; in a row, 2–3 m apart.

Light: Sun and partial shade
Soil type: Sand, loam or clay
Acidity: Not fussy
Moisture: Dry or normal
Size: 20 m tall, 4 m wide
Hardiness: Hardy (to -25 °C)

Goes well with

Holly: Another evergreen structural plant with glossy leaves.
Japanese maple: A light, colourful contrast to the dark column.
Creeping juniper: A low, graceful ground cover in the same dry, sunny soil.
Lavender: Likes the same sunny, well-drained spot and adds scent.
Ornamental grasses: A light, swaying foreground against the dark conifer green.

Maintenance

Incense cedar: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

Plant in April–May or in September–October, in moist but not wet soil.
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep.
Set the tree at the same depth as in its pot; the root ball must not sit deeper than the surrounding soil.
Backfill with the soil you dug out and firm it well; add a stake for a tall specimen.
Water generously straight away and spread 5–8 cm of wood chips or bark around the base.

Care

Water: In the first two summers, water thoroughly every week in dry spells. Once established it usually looks after itself.
Feeding: Usually unnecessary. If you like, a little organic conifer feed in spring.
Mulching: A layer of bark or wood chips keeps the soil moist and weed-free.
Staking: Support a tall young tree with a stake for the first 2 years so it does not lean.
Shelter: Protect young specimens in an open spot from cold, dry easterly winds.

Tip: Use it as a slender accent tree in a small garden or as a narrow screen in a row: it needs hardly any pruning and stays nicely clothed from top to bottom.

Incense cedar: when to prune it?

When: It needs hardly any pruning; remove dead branches whenever you see them.

How:

Cut dead, damaged or broken branches back to the trunk.
Remove competing leaders to keep a single main leader.
Do not cut into old, leafless wood: it will not regrow.
To keep it narrower, only trim the green tips lightly in spring.

Caution: Never cut back into old, leafless wood: it does not regrow.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed: Sow the seed outdoors in autumn or, after cold stratification, in spring in a tray of sandy soil. Germination is slow.
Cuttings: Cultivars, such as the yellow-leaved form, are normally grafted or rooted by nurseries; for a home gardener, buying is easiest.

Incense cedar: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −25 °C.

Hardy to about −25 °C: usually no problem in Belgium.
Young trees may suffer from drying winds in hard winters; site them in shelter or wrap them in hessian.
In a pot: wrap the pot in hessian and make sure water cannot stand.

Diseases and pests

Brown twigs: After a cold, dry winter the foliage may turn brown (winter damage). Wait until spring, then cut away whatever stays dead.
Root rot: The tree declines and the foliage yellows on heavy, wet soil. Plant in well-drained soil and avoid overwatering.
Brown inner twigs: Older twigs on the inside turn brown and drop in autumn. This is normal.
Drought stress: Young trees get brown tips in prolonged drought. Water generously and apply a mulch.

Through the year

January: Rest. After snow, gently shake the branches.
March: Prepare: loosen the soil before planting.
April: Plant. Apply mulch.
May: Plant. Water in dry weather.
June: Water young trees in dry weather.
July: Water in prolonged drought.
September: Plant. Remove dead branches.
October: Plant. Top up the mulch.
November: Protect young trees from cold wind.
December: Rest.

You and this species

Did you know?

Incense cedar is not a true cedar (Cedrus) but belongs to the cypress family.
Many wooden pencils are made from its fragrant, fine-grained wood.
In the wild the tree can grow much taller than in a garden, sometimes 40 m or more.

Garden plants · All species