What is the Lifespan of a Cedar Tree?
There are several different varieties of cedar trees, and their lifespans vary greatly. Cedars in general, however, are known for their longevity, and some species boast some of the oldest living trees in the world.
Eastern Red Cedar
Native to Virginia, the Eastern Red Cedar typically lives about 150 years, although some live to be as old as 300 years.
White Cedar
White Cedars can live more than 800 years, which makes them some of the oldest trees in Northeastern America (New England, New York, Wisconsin, etc.).
Cedars of Lebanon
The Cedars of Lebanon are noted in the Bible as some of the largest trees in the world. Cedars in Becharri, Northern Lebanon are some of the oldest trees we know that are still living. They are probably between 1,000 and 2,000 years old.
Western Red Cedar
The Western Red Cedar grows in Alaska, Washington, and elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest. A tree with 1,460 rings was found in Olympic National Forest.
Alaska Yellow-Cedar
These may be the oldest of all. According to the Gymnosperm Database, one was found with 1,834 rings; however, heartrot makes it hard to determine the age of these monsters for sure. Some are suspected to be over 4,000 years old.
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Writer Bio
North Carolina native Mike Southern has been writing since 1979. He is the author of the instructional golf book "Ruthless Putting" and edited a collection of swashbuckling novels. Southern was trained in electronics at Forsyth Technical Community College and is also an occasional woodworker.
