Scientific Name
Callitropsis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’
This tree has several common names, including Nootka cedar and Alaska cypress. It is a conifer native to the moist coastal mountains of northwestern North America, ranging from southeast Alaska through the Cascade Mountains and extending slightly into northern California. The species name comes from Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
The tree typically matures to around 130 feet tall, though exceptional specimens can exceed that height by another 50 percent. The foliage consists of flattened sprays of scale-like leaves similar to those of arborvitae and western red cedar, both in the Thuja genus. On the straight species, the tree develops a conical crown with drooping branches resembling the form of Norway spruce, while the ‘Pendula’ cultivar has a much more dramatic weeping habit. The Regis tree can be expected to grow to around 35 feet tall.
Although the species can grow in full sun, some shade during winter is beneficial in this climate because it helps prevent the “bronzing” desiccation that can damage the foliage. Alaska yellow cedar has demonstrated hardiness to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit and grows well in Chicago, so given its visual appeal, it is somewhat surprising that it is not used more frequently along the Front Range. Colorado does have several champion specimens, all of them the weeping cultivar, that have reached heights in the mid-20-foot range. However, these trees are still relatively young, with the widest trunk measuring only 11 inches in diameter.