regnum-plantae:

Calocedrus decurrens, Cupressaceae

Remember the post I wrote right after coming back from Italy last month, and the photos of that beautiful and ancient manor house I added? Right at the entrance of that beautiful place is where I found this interesting conifer, and after reading about it, it makes sense I hadn’t recognised it as something familiar. The incense cedar is a large tree native to western North America and is generally found in Europe mostly as a free-standing specimen in association with old, stately private homes and urban landscaping, so you don’t generally come across it in the wilderness. 

Its common name refers to the aromatic scent emitted by the evergreen scale-like foliage when crushed -not a huge surprise, many conifers are interestingly scented- and its fissured, peeling bark is an added attractive. The female cones were probably what caught my attention right away: their shape is quite particular and looking at photos of how they split open when mature and dry I realised I had definitely seen them before somewhere, they’re unique and hard to forget. I really need to write more about conifers, they are definitely something I’ve overlooked in the past but the more I learn about them, the more I fall in love!