northern whitecedar

Thuja occidentalis

The northern white cedar is a tall tree with soft, green leaves that look like tiny scales. It grows in forests and is great for making furniture and canoes!

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The northern whitecedar has dense, flattened, scale-like leaves that form fan-like sprays, maintaining a vibrant green color year-round. Its bark is reddish-brown and peels off in narrow, shreddy strips. It typically grows into a narrow, conical shape, making it visually distinct from many other evergreens.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassPinopsidaOrderPinalesFamilyCupressaceaeGenusThuja

northern whitecedar

Interesting facts

Indigenous peoples called it 'arborvitae,' meaning 'tree of life,' for its many gifts!

Its unique flattened needles look and feel more like soft scales than prickly needles!

Some northern whitecedars have lived for over 1,000 years, older than many pyramids!

This tree's wood has a wonderful scent that naturally repels moths from clothes!

Special abilities

Northern whitecedar's dense, scale-like foliage holds heavy snow, helping it stay warm and protected during harsh winter cold.

Northern whitecedar's wood contains natural chemicals that make it highly resistant to rot and insects, helping it last longer.

Northern whitecedar young shoots are packed with Vitamin C, which helped early explorers survive scurvy.

Measurements & details

Height: 1200-1800 cm
Spread: 300-600 cm
Edible: No
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Wind

Ecological connections

eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Browses its foliage, especially in winter.

shelters

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Nests in its dense branches for protection.

eaten by

Arborvitae Leafminer

Coleotechnites thujaella

Larvae tunnel and feed inside its scale-like leaves.

Traits

Shade Tolerant

Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Coniferous

Coniferous plants are typically evergreen, bearing needles or scales and reproductive cones.

Evergreen

Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.

Timber

Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry.

Forest

Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.