Calocedrus (decurrens )

Kayla Herriman Manager USDA FS - R6 Bend Seed Extractory 63095 Deschutes Market Road Bend, Oregon 97701 kayla.herriman@usda.gov http://fsweb-ochdes.r6.fs.fed.us/seedextractory/ex

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Family Scientific Name:	Cupressaceae
Family Common Name:	Cypress
Scientific Name:	Calocedrus decurrens
Common Synonym:	Libocedrus decurrens
Common Name:	incense cedar
Species Code:	CADE27
General Distribution:	General distribution – incense-cedar occurs from the southeastern slopes of Mount Hood southward within and adjacent to the Cascade, Siskiyou, coastal, and Sierra Nevada ranges to NW Mexico.
Propagation Goal:	Seeds
ProductType:	Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.)
Stock Type:	seed processing
Target Specifications:	Wings do not remove completely as wings are persistent and project past the narrow radicle end of the seed rather than from the cotyledon end as in many other conifers.
Propagule Collection:	Cones are removed from trees and stored in mesh bags, one bushel per bag. Cones with deveolped seed can range in color from green to yellow to tan to brown. Cones are approximately 3 cm (1 inch) in length. Individual cones contain up to 4 seeds. The seeds have 2 wings, although one is less conspicuous. Wings are persistent and project past the narrow radicle end of the seed rather than from the cotyledon end as in many other conifers.
Propagule Processing:	Processing – *Note: all processing of CADE27 must take place in 60-degree temps or less. This includes tumbling, de-winging, screening, and gravity table and is to ensure that resin deposits do not soften and rupture during processing. Extraction: Cones should only be run on the tumbler if the lot contains more than 10 bushels. Cones are tumbled to extract the seeds. Do not tumble immediately after kiln drying even if air temp is low because resin deposits will be too soft. Dust and the largest cone pieces are screened on the tumbler. Check tumbled cones after one run to ensure viable seed does not remain. If viable seed does remain, additional runs on the tumbler may be necessary. De-winging: De-wing CADE27 after screening of most of the coarse inert material has occurred on the eclipse. Seed tends to de-wing naturally during the screening process and mechanical de-winging may not be necessary at all. Seeds are de-winged using a Mortar/Mixer De-winger. Tumble up to ¾ of a tall barrel in the mixer for 5 minutes. Check seed for damage and effectiveness of the de-winging process. The WPSM recommends not de-winging CADE27 because of the fragility of the radicle end (see drawing below). Gentle tumbling in a cement mixer at BSE has been possible without damage, but do not attempt to achieve complete de-winging. Finishing: Seeds are air-screened, using a Clipper Eclipse Model 324. First run: Top screen = 22 or 24 round, 2nd= 24 or 26 round, 3rd = 26 or 28 round, bottom = 8 round, Air = 20. The goal of the first run is to remove as much of the lightest and largest inert material possible without removing any filled seed. Do not worry about perfecting fill and purity until the second run. Second run: same settings as first but cover ½ of the top screen. The goal of the 2nd run is to further improve the purity and fill of the seed lot and reduce the overall volume without losing filled seed. Gravity: The Gravity Separator, Oliver Model 30 (the “old” gravity table), should be used to improve fill% and purity %, if standards are not able to be achieved on the eclipse or clipper. Settings vary but seed typically requires high grading to achieve fill% over 80. Seek advice from management about how much seed loss is acceptable to achieve higher fill%. Xray note: Seed fill can be difficult to judge on an x-ray image. Cut tests (at least 20 seed) should be used to confirm fill% on finished seed and seed to be thrown away.
Other Comments:	Average Number of Seeds per Pound: 14,041 Average percent purity: 92% Average percent fill: 80% Average estimated PLS/bushel: 7,435 *PLS calculated using fill% *This CADE27 information comes from 66 processing records at the Bend Seed Extractory from collections seasons 1990 through 2019.

Citation:

Herriman, Kayla . 2024. Propagation protocol for production of Propagules (seeds, cutings, poles, etc.) Calocedrus decurrens Seeds seed processing; USDA FS - R6 Bend Seed Extractory Bend, Oregon. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2025/04/24). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.