Thuja occidentalis
Northern White Cedar
Family Cupressaceae
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Use
Tea. A tea can be made from the foliage and bark.
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Description
Growth Form: Tree growing 30' to 50' tall and 10' to 15' wide.
Leaves: Needles are small and scale-like (2mm long). Scale-like, overlap forming flattened rope-like shoots in planes. Dark-green with a resinous gland on the back.
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Leaves
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Bark
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Flowers: Monoecious at tips of branches.
Fruits: Small cones with overlapping scales. Half inch long.
Bark: Gray on the surface and reddish-brown in the furrows.
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Habitat and Range
Moist, deep, loamy soil. Can tolerate acidic soil. Northeastern United States.
Season
Year Round.
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Base
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Fun Facts
A favorite food of deer. The name arborvitae or "tree of life" is from the 16th century when the French explorer Cartier learned from the Indians how to use the tree's foliage to treat scurvy.
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