Western Red Cedar has a straight trunk with reddish-brown bark that becomes deeply furrowed with age. The foliage consists of scale-like leaves arranged in flattened sprays. The leaves are small and scale-like, closely packed in opposite pairs along flattened branches. They are usually green but may turn brown in winter. Its cones are small and they have a unique appearance with a series of overlapping scales. The cones are typically brown in colour and remain on the tree for several years. Up to 35m.