Bonhoeffer Gardens showcase our 3 native cedars.  Western Redcedar, also called Canoe Cedar, is often found in areas that are moist and shady. A member of the Cupressaceae Family, it grows by Kiosk 14 in the Gardens.  To the south, by Kiosk 13 find the Alaska Yellow Cedar (that’s not found in Alaska, but south of Alaska).  And to the south of Kiosk 12, the Port Orford Cedar found along the Oregon Coast into California and migrating north as the climate warms.  All have a straight and easily splitting wood that was the main building material for both Native Americans and Pioneers.  One can’t over emphasize the role the bark, fruit, needles, and especially wood of cedars in supporting the Indigenous Population.  The Western Redcedar, especially, has played a major role in the History of the Northwest.  Pictured is the Port Orford, separate lessons cover the Red and Yellow Cedars that are native to Cascadia.

http://naeb.brit.org/uses/search/?string=Thuja+plicata
https://www3.uwsp.edu/forestry/StuJournals/Pages/NA/hacker.aspx
https://burkeherbarium.org/imagecollection/browse.php?Genus=Thuja&Classification=Vascular%
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamaecyparis_lawsoniana
https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=THPL
http://www.burkemuseum.org/research-and-collections/botany-and-herbarium/collections/database/results.php?Genus=Thuja&Species=plicata&SourcePage=search.php&IncludeSynonyms=Y&SortBy=DESC&SortOrder=Year
https://plc215.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Kiosk-14.pdf

Of the 3 Cedars, which has played the most important role in both Pioneer and Native American History?

Western Redcedar
Alaska Yellow Cedar
Port Orford Cedar

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