Eastern White Cedar
Thuja occidentalis
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The eastern white cedar is also known as the eastern cedar, northern white cedar, arborvitae and swamp-cedar. In 1558, this tree appropriately received the name “arborvitae,” which in Latin means “tree of life”. Thuja occidentalis is in the Cupressaceae (cypress) family, which is native to eastern Canada and much of the north, central and upper Northeastern United States, but widely cultivated as an ornamental plant. The eastern cedar is a slow to moderate growing conifer tree that forms a narrow pyramidal shape. Extremely old trees (at least 802 years) have been reported in glacial clay soils at the Réserve écologique des Vieux-Arbres in Lake Duparquet, Québec (Archambault and Bergeron 1992). The eastern white cedar and western red cedar have a long history of medicinal uses for this tree. They were also used as a source of fibre, making fishing spears, tinder, dye, incense, and as an insecticide.
Trunk/Bark
The bark of the eastern white cedar is thin and shiny when the tree is young, but separates into flat narrow strips as the tree gets older. The trunk is strongly tapered, often gnarled with thin reddy-brown bark.
Branches/Twigs
The branchlets are flattened, dark green on the upper side and light-green or brownish on the base but without whitish markings.
Height
It can grow 12 to 14 metres high (40 to 45') and can get to about 4 to 5 metres in width (15').
Leaves/Needles
Leaves grow opposite; are scale-like, closely overlapping, with successive pairs at right angles. The upper and lower leaves are flat,with a protruding resin gland. Lateral leaves are folded, clasping the flat leaves.
Flowers
Flowers are monoecious with the male and female flowers usually borne on separate twigs or branchlets; they are tiny, terminal, cone-like bodies. Male flowers are yellowish and arise from branchlets near the base of the shoot; female flowers are pinkish and appear at the tips of short terminal branchlets.
Fruit
Ripe cones are pale brown, oblong, and measure 8 to 13 mm (.3 to .5”) long. Woody scales of mature female cones enclose double-winged seeds which are released the year after development.
Habitat
The eastern white cedar is most often associated with cool, moist, nutrient-rich locations, particularly on organic soils near streams or other drainage-ways, or on calcareous mineral soils.It commonly grows in association with balsam fir and tamarack in the boreal region.
Edible Parts
According to the online publication American Forests ( Winter/Spring 2017), two species of cedars have an edible and nutritious inner bark. These are the eastern white cedar and the western red cedar, (Thuja plicata). First Nations' people would harvest and dry it, then grind it into a powder for use when travelling or as an emergency. Leaves, fresh or dried, have been used for tea and other uses.
Other Name
Eastern Cedar.
Recipes
Winter Survival Food Handbook
Types of Wild Food
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