Distribution and Habitat: – Chamaecyparis thyoides grows within 100 miles of the coastline and less than 50 m above sea level. – Rare populations grow in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, reaching up to 460 m above sea level. – Protected in various national wildlife refuges like the Great Dismal Swamp and Cape Cod National Seashore. – Threatened in Mississippi due to overexploitation, land use changes, and extreme weather events. – Obligate wetland species preferring saturated soils with poor drainage and acidic conditions. Ecology: – Red maple and black gum trees commonly found alongside Atlantic white cedar. – Sphagnum mosses often grow in the wetlands where C. thyoides thrives. – Caterpillar of Hessels Hairstreak butterfly feeds exclusively on C. thyoides. – Trees grow on hummocks to avoid being underwater year-round and benefit from low-intensity fires. – Frequent intense fires or flooding can damage seedlings and mature trees. Description: – Evergreen coniferous tree growing up to 35m tall with feathery, green to glaucous blue-green foliage. – Scale-like leaves produced in opposite pairs on shoots, with bark ranging from smooth to thick and ridged. – Monoecious tree bearing both pollen and seeds in cones. – Seed cones globose, 4–9mm in diameter with 6-10 scales, while pollen cones are yellow turning brown. – Tree starts bearing seeds at 4–5 years, reaches maturity at 10-20 years, and stops growing at 100 years. Subspecies Variation: – Chamaecyparis thyoides thyoides: Leaves and cones glaucous blue-green, maturing to dark brown-black. – Chamaecyparis thyoides henryae: Leaves and cones green, maturing to light brown. Cultivation, Uses, and Conservation: – Important in horticulture with cultivars of varying crown shape, growth rates, and foliage color. – Cultivated as Christmas trees in some locations like Mobile County, Alabama. – Resistant to decay and warping, suitable for lumber used in house construction and boat building. – Conservation concerns due to decreased Atlantic white cedar stands from altered fire regimes, logging, and draining of wetlands. – Less than 100,000 acres of Atlantic white cedar wetlands remain out of an estimated 500,000 acres pre-European colonization.