Northern white-cedar

Northern white-cedar Care

Thuja occidentalis

What is the plant

Thuja occidentalis, also known as northern white-cedar or eastern arborvitae, is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is native to Canada and the United States, but widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

The name arborvitae is particularly used in the horticultural trade in the United States. It is Latin for "tree of life" - due to the supposed medicinal properties of the sap, bark, and twigs. Despite its common names, it is not a true cedar in the genus Cedrus, nor is it related to the Australian white cedar, Melia azedarach. Unlike the closely related western red-cedar (Thuja plicata), northern white-cedar is only a small or medium-sized tree, growing to a height of 15 m (49 ft) tall with a 0.9 m (3.0 ft) trunk diameter, exceptionally to 38 metres (125 ft) tall and 1.8 metres (5.9 ft) diameter. The tree is often stunted or prostrate in less favorable locations. The bark is red-brown, furrowed and peels in narrow, longitudinal strips.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

-10°C - 10°C

Hardiness zone

min 5b

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Using a pot with drainage holes prevents water and salts from building up in the soil and stunting the growth of your northern white cedar. northern white cedars produce broad root systems.
Pruning
Trim out dead and damaged leaves any time, pinching off or cutting off each of those leaves at its base. Avoid cutting into a plant's main stems or its crown, which is where its leaves and roots meet.
Fertilizer
Use a fertilizer formulated specifically for your plant. Avoid over-fertilizing and follow the instruction on the label.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Minimum 12-14 hours of indirect sunlight.
Soil
They need well-drained, moisture-retentive soil, so add lots of organic matter when planting. In heavy clay soils, plant the bulbs on a layer of coarse sand or gravel to improve drainage.
Temperature
It grows mainly in places with cooler summers, with an average temperature of 16 to 22°C (61 to 72°F) in July, and a shorter growing season, from 90 to 180 days.

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Container
Whether it be plastic or clay, make sure the pot you select has drainage holes in the bottom to prevent over-watering.
Popularity
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