Cedar: Tree of Life

The tree you see in front of this sign is the western red cedar (Thuja plicata). In SENĆOŦEN, the western red cedar is called XPÁ (pronounced Huh-pay). With large swooping branches, delicate peeling bark, and sprays of scale-like leaves, this tree is an icon in west coast forests and considered a symbol of British Columbia.

The western red cedar is a pillar of forest ecosystems and a culturally important species to to the Coast Salish Peoples. With easy to split, rot resistant wood, the cedar provides a strong foundation for creating canoes, houses and tools.

The whole tree is valuable, with the bark used for clothing, baskets, rope and more. Traditionally many cedars were not felled, but rather materials such as bark were harvested from live trees. If you ever see a cedar that is seemingly missing a strip of bark, you may be seeing one of these culturally modified trees.

The western red cedar is well suited to grow in moist, shady conditions. This tree can be long lived, growing to more than 1,000 years old, and up to 60 metres tall. Cedars are very resilient to rot and insects. When the tree does start to break down, the centre often hollows out first, making a good den for bears and providing shelter to other animals.