Thuja occidentalis
Eastern Arborvitae, White Cedar
Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Somewhat wide range of soil tolerance, but prefers moist, neutral to alkaline, well-drained loams. Intolerant of dry conditions. Best in full sun, but generally appreciates some light afternoon shade in hot summer climates such as the St. Louis area. Avoid full shade where foliage density will substantially decrease. Avoid exposed, windy sites.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Thuja occidentalis, commonly known as American arborvitae, Eastern arborvitae, Eastern white cedar or Northern white cedar, is a dense, conical to narrow-pyramidal (sometimes maturing to broad-pyramidal), often single-trunked, evergreen tree that is native to eastern and central Canada south to northern Illinois, Ohio and New York with scattered populations further south in the Appalachians to North Carolina. Mature trees may reach 40-60' tall in the wild over time, but in cultivation typically grow much smaller to 20-30' tall. Scale-like, aromatic, yellow-green to green foliage appears in flattened sprays. Red-brown bark will exfoliate on mature branches and trunks.
Zones: 2 to 7.
Genus name is the Greek name for a kind of juniper (Juniperus.)
Specific epithet means from the Western (Occidental) world.
The common name of arborvitae (tree of life) comes from early French settlers to North America who learned from Native Americans that the tree’s foliage could be used to treat scurvy.
Growing Info:
Scarification: Soak in water, let stand in water for 24 hours.
Stratification: cold stratify for 60 days.
Germination: sow seed 1/8" deep , tamp the soil, keep moist, mulch the seed bed, cover seedbed with some shade, requires light for germination.
803 seeds/gram