Shaz, I can't say with any expertise that OO is, or isn't, related to cedar. But, it is unlike any cedar I have ever seen. I really doubt any relationship. OO is harder than a bankers heart and the trees don't resemble cedars. It has thorns and drops 'fruit' seed pods larger than a softball. The pods are often called 'apples' and are very sticky. Reportedly, the apples and the sticky stuff will keep insects away. OO has many names: hedge, hedge apple, post wood, Bois d' Arc, Bodark, and on and on. It grows in many climates all over the world. Once favored as pasture and land boundaries (e.g. 'hedge') is now considered a nusiance. The wood has a high silica content and dried OO can cause sparks when power sawed. From experience, I can tell you it is [expletive deleted] on bandsaw blades. However, I enjoy working with it. Even being very hard, it is a joy to turn and is beautiful. Newly worked OO is bright yellow/orange but exposed to light will turn dark and eventually chocolate brown. Being heavy and very hard and strong, it makes great bonkers of all types. It is flexible and strong and was/still used for making archery bows. (remember: Bois d' Arc or 'bow of the arc' ).