General: Large tree, up to about 60 m tall; mature trees
generally fluted and buttressed at the base; branches tend to
spread, or droop slightly and then upturn; the branchlets spray-
like, strongly flattened horizontally; bark ridged and fissured,
readily tearing off in long thin strips; wood aromatic; growing
'tip' (leader) drooping. Leaves: Scalelike, somewhat
overlapping, closely pressed to stem, in opposite pairs; glossy
yellowish-green, turning brown and shedding with age. Cones:
Seed cones green when immature, brown, egg-shaped, and 8-10 mm
long when mature; pollen cones minute and reddish, numerous. A
shade-tolerant to shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to
subalpine, Western North American evergreen conifer distributed
more in the Pacific than the Cordilleran region. Occurs
predominantly in cool temperate and cool mesothermal climates;
its occurrence decreases with increasing latitude, elevation,
and continentality. One of the most common trees in central and
southern B. C.; often forms pure stands