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Western Red Cedar
( Thuja plicata )
Thuja plicata
More Photos at CalPhotos
More Info at Jepson eFlora
Calflora
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19 Nurseries Carry This Plant
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About Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata)
19 Nurseries Carry This Plant
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Western red cedar (
Thuja plicata
), also Western redcedar, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae. In the American horticultural trade, it is also known as the Giant Arborvitae, Arborvitae being another name for its genus. Western red cedar is the Provincial tree of British Columbia, and has extensive applications for the indigenous First Nations of the Pacific Northwest. The western red cedar is not actually a cedar (Cedrus), but belongs in the Cupressaceae family, along with cypresses. It is known by many names, Pacific red cedar, British Columbia cedar, canoe cedar, giant cedar, or just red cedar. Plicata, the species name, derives from a Greek word meaning "folded in plaits", a references to the pattern of its small leaves. It is one of two arborvitaes (Thuja) native to North America. Arborvitae comes from the Latin for "tree of life". Coincidentally, native Americans of the West coast also address the cedar as "long life maker".
Western red cedar is valued for many industrial uses, including roof shingles, construction and cedar chests. It is allergenic, can cause asthma, and construction workers are advised to limit exposure.
Left to itself, it will grow above 200 '. It can be pruned and trained to become a thick 6' tall hedge.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Tree
Size
40 - 230 ft tall
Form
Pyramidal, Upright Columnar
Growth Rate
Fast, Moderate, Slow
Dormancy
Evergreen
Fragrance
Fragrant - Pleasant
Flowering Season
Spring
Wildlife Supported
butterflies
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 31
confirmed
, 5
likely
* )
SHOW ALL
Brown-lined Looper
Neoalcis californiaria
Neoalcis californiaria
Speckled Green Fruitworm Moth
Orthosia hibisci
Orthosia hibisci
Silver-spotted Tiger Moth
Lophocampa argentata
Lophocampa argentata
Manto Tussock Moth
Orgyia antiqua
Orgyia antiqua
Western Carpet
Melanolophia imitata
Melanolophia imitata
Mottled Gray Carpet
Cladara limitaria
Cladara limitaria
The Small Engrailed
Ectropis crepuscularia
Ectropis crepuscularia
Landscaping Information
Sun
Full Sun, Part Shade, Full Shade
Moisture
Low
Summer Irrigation
Keep moist
Nurseries
Carried by 19
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -15° F
Soil Drainage
Fast, Medium, Slow
Soil Description
Prefers loamy soils. Soil PH: 5.0 - 7.0
Common uses
Bank Stabilization, Hedges
Maintenance
watch for leafhoppers. Prune in winter when wood boring insects are less active.
Propagation
?
For propagating by seed: 1-2 mos. stratification or soak in 0.2% potassium nitrate overnight (Association of Official Seed Analysts 1981). No treatment may give satisfactory germination ( USDA Forest Service 1948).
Sunset Zones
?
1, 2, 3, 4*, 5*, 6*, 7*, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*
Natural Setting
Site Type
Forests
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 41.5" - 120.5", Summer Precipitation: 1.04" - 3.15", Coldest Month: 38.2" - 47.0", Hottest Month: 57.0" - 67.6", Humidity: 0.26" - 15.76", Elevation: 20" - 3650"
Alternative Names
Common Names
: Giant Arborvitae, Western Redcedar
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Western Red Cedar
Thuja plicata
Sources include:
Wikipedia
. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the
California Consortia of Herbaria
, Sunset information provided by
Jepson Flora Project
. Propogation from seed information provided by the
Santa Barbara Botanical Garden
from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include
CalPhotos
,
Wikimedia Commons
, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include
Calflora
,
CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online
,
Jepson Flora Project
,
Las Pilitas
,
Theodore Payne
,
Tree of Life
,
The Xerces Society
, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from
PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University
, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.
Links:
Jepson eFlora Taxon Page
CalPhotos
Wikipedia
Calflora
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