Thuja occidentalis
Cold-hardy evergreen conifer with dense, aromatic, scale-like foliage in flattened sprays, native to eastern North America and typically growing as a conical to narrow-pyramidal tree, often used for low-maintenance hedges, privacy screens in row plantings, and entranceways.
Common Names
Northern White Cedar, Arborvitae, American Arborvitae, Eastern White Cedar, White Cedar, Eastern Arborvitae, Swamp Cedar
Summary
Northern white-cedar, also called American arborvitae or eastern arborvitae, is an evergreen conifer native to eastern Canada and the north-central and northeastern United States. It forms a dense, cone- to broad-pyramidal crown with slender, fan-like branches bearing scale-like, aromatic foliage that stays green to yellow-green in winter. The bark is reddish-brown and peels in vertical strips. Small upright cones mature brown. Typical mature size is 20–40 ft tall with a 10–15 ft spread.
Growing conditions include full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil tolerant of clay, loam, and rocky substrates, with pH ranging from neutral to alkaline. Regular watering after planting and deep watering during prolonged drought help establishment. Mulch 2–3 inches, keeping mulch away from the trunk; hedge spacing commonly 3–5 ft for screen plantings. Pruning is minimal and best kept to shape, avoiding cuts into old wood. Pests such as bagworms, spider mites, and arborvitae leafminers may occur, and deer may browse foliage. Practical uses include hedges, privacy screens, windbreaks, foundation plantings, and specimen plantings, with evergreen year-round structure and habitat for wildlife.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
20-60 feet
Spread
10-15 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 2-7
Sunlight Requirements
Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Type
Moist, well-drained loamy soil with neutral to alkaline pH
Soil Drainage
Moist, well-drained soil; not waterlogged.
Soil pH
Neutral to alkaline soil (pH around 7 or slightly higher)
Bloom Color
Insignificant
Bloom Time
Non-flowering
Foliage Color
Green; foliage color ranges from emerald green and bright green to dark green and gold/yellow-green, with possible bronze or yellow-brown coloration in winter.
Fall Foliage Color
No fall color change; evergreen; green year-round.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen needle
Growth Rate
Slow
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Layering, Cuttings, Vegetative reproduction
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts birds; nesting sites for songbirds and winter cover
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. 1002. (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Pinophyta
- Class
- Pinopsida
- Subclass
- Cupressidae
- Order
- Cupressales
- Family
- Cupressaceae
- Genus
- Thuja
Synonyms
Juniperus ericoides Retinispora devriesiana Retinispora pygmaea Retinispora dubia Retinispora ellwangeriana Retinispora meldensis Retinispora keteleeri Retinispora troubetzkoyana Thuja globosa Thuja ericoides Thuja ellwangeriana Thuja nana Thuja obtusa Thuja minor Thuja devriesiana Thuja caucasica Thuja compacta Thuja occidentalis var. cristata Thuja vervaeneana Thuja tatarica Thuja recurvata Thuja procera Thuja recurva Thuja sibirica Thuja occidentalis f. gaspensis Thuja occidentalis f. prostrata Thuja theophrasti Chamaecyparis boursieri Cupressus arborvitae Thuja occidentalis var. pendula Thuja occidentalis f. pendula Thuja occidentalis f. pendula-glauca Thuja occidentalis var. alba Thuja occidentalis f. alba Thuja occidentalis var. variegata Thuja occidentalis f. variegata Thuja occidentalis f. vervaeneana Thuja occidentalis f. filiformis Thuja occidentalis var. aureovariegata Thuja occidentalis f. aureovariegata Thuja occidentalis f. wareana-lutescens Thuja occidentalis var. variegata-aurea Thuja occidentalis var. aurea Thuja occidentalis f. aurea Thuja occidentalis f. sempervirens Thuja occidentalis var. lutea Thuja occidentalis f. lutea Thuja occidentalis var. robusta Thuja occidentalis f. robusta Thuja occidentalis f. viridis Thuja occidentalis var. rosenthalii Thuja occidentalis f. rosenthalii Thuja occidentalis var. douglasii-pyramidalis Thuja occidentalis f. filicoides Thuja occidentalis f. magnifica Thuja occidentalis var. compacta Thuja occidentalis f. compacta Thuja occidentalis var. buchananii Thuja occidentalis var. fastigiata Thuja occidentalis f. fastigiata Thuja occidentalis var. plicata Thuja occidentalis f. mastersii Thuja occidentalis var. globosa Thuja occidentalis f. globosa Thuja occidentalis f. woodwardii Thuja occidentalis var. hoveyi Thuja occidentalis f. hoveyi Thuja occidentalis f. pumila Thuja occidentalis var. umbraculifera Thuja sibirica var. pendula Thuja occidentalis var. filiformis Thuja occidentalis f. ohlendorffii Thuja occidentalis f. cristata Thuja occidentalis f. ericoides Thuja occidentalis f. ellwangeriana Thuja occidentalis f. occidentalis Retinispora nobleana Retinispora glaucescens Thuja hoveyi Thuja odorata Thuja canadensis Thuja bodmeri Thuja variegata Thuja occidentalis var. douglasii Cupressus nobleana Thuja occidentalis var. sempervirens Thuja occidentalis var. vervaeneana Thuja occidentalis f. riversii Thuja occidentalis var. magnifica Thuja occidentalis f. buchananii Thuja occidentalis var. woodwardii Thuja occidentalis f. umbraculifera