Toxic Plant Connu comme étant toxique - The foliage and essential oils contain thujone and other compounds that can be harmful if consumed in quantity. The plant is particularly important to keep away from livestock that might browse heavily.
Image of Thuja occidentalis
Source: Andre Karwath

Plant Names

image of Arbre conifère
Thuja occidentalis
Eastern White Cedar
Thuya occidental

Synonyms

arborvitae
eastern arborvitae
northern white cedar
northern white-cedar
swamp cedar
balai
cèdre
cèdre blanc
thuier cèdre

Plant Characteristics

Couleur de floraison: Vert Bloom Period: Apr - May
Hauteur max: 50,0 feet
Max Width: 15,0 feet
Light Condition:
Full sun Plus de 6 heures d'ensoleillement par jour
Part shade More than 2 or 3 hours but less than 6 hours of direct sun a day
Soil conditions:
Moisture medium Tolerates medium soil condition
Lifespan: Vivace des plantes qui reviennent année après année
Gardener Experience:
does not spread Ne se propage pas de manière incontrôlable
plant germinate easy Facile à germer
Landscape Uses:
rock garden Suitable for rock gardens
shoreline_rehab Suitable for shoreline rehabilitation
hedge Can be used as a hedge
Ecological Benefits:
butterfly host Butterfly host
Tolerates:
Limestone Tolerant Tolerates limestone conditions
Juglone Tolerant Tolerates juglone conditions
Transplantation Tolerant Tolerates transplantation
Special Features and Considerations:

Seed and plant distribution status

No seeds available for this plant.
Nous acceptions les semences de cette plante

Faits intéressants

Eastern White Cedar can eventually become a large, narrow to broadly conical tree, although it also responds well to pruning and is commonly used as a hedge. It is an excellent choice for native hedges, privacy screens, windbreaks, and year-round structure.

Eastern White Cedar can be pruned in late spring or early summer if shaping is needed. It establishes more quickly when watered regularly during its first few years. It can tolerate wet soil and is particularly useful in moist locations. In dry conditions, young trees benefit from supplemental watering. Give individual trees enough space to develop rather than planting them too close together. It generally well behaved and long-lived; it does not spread aggressively. It is one of the most useful native evergreen trees for a garden because it provides winter shelter and screening while also tolerating a surprisingly wide range of conditions.

Plant Location

Native to Ottawa region: Oui

Distribution according to VASCAN

Distribution: Thuja occidentalis
Ephemeral Native Introduced Excluded Extirpated Doubtful Absent

Thrives in Ecozones

  • Maritime de l'Atlantique
  • Plaines boréales
  • Plaines hudsoniennes
  • Bouclier boréal
  • Plaines à forêts mixtes

Ecological Benefits

Butterflies Supported by Thuja occidentalis

Specialized Bees Supported by Thuja occidentalis

No bee data available for this plant.

Complementary Plants

  • No complementary plants found.

Substitute For Non-Native Plants

  • Thuja occidentalis (Eastern White-cedar)

Sowing Information

Download Seed Envelope Labels (PDF)
  • Sowing depth: Couvrir très légèrement
  • Sow by February
  • Stratification duration: 60 days
  • Notes: Soak for 24h.

Harvesting and Seed Sharing

  • Harvest start month: August
  • Harvesting indicator:
    • Pods are brown and crisp and starting to open
    • Seeds are dark and tiny stem attaching to the main stem is brown
    • Seeds easily fall off pod when shaken
    • Little stem connecting the pod to the main stem is brown (not green)
  • Harvesting:
    • Cut stem (including pods), let air dry in paper bag, then shake seeds off after a few days
  • Seed viability test:
    • Pas de test requis avant le don
  • Packaging measure: Six (6) seeds (eyeball)
  • Seed storage:
    • Sécher à l'air dans un sac en papier ou contenant ouvert, pour quelques jours jusqu'à sec
    • Secouer de temps à autre pour prévenir la moisissure
  • Cultivar: Yes, do not donate unless you know source, and there are no known cultivars in your garden or at proximity
  • No harvesting video available at this time.

Toxicity Notes

The foliage and essential oils contain thujone and other compounds that can be harmful if consumed in quantity. The plant is particularly important to keep away from livestock that might browse heavily.