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Thuja plicata (Western Redcedar,
Giant Arborvitae)
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Kingdom
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Plantae – Plants
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Subkingdom
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Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
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Superdivision
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Spermatophyta – Seed plants
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Division
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Coniferophyta – Conifers
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Class
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Pinopsida
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Order
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Pinales
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Family
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Cupressaceae – Cypress family
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Genus
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Thuja L. – arborvitae
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Species |
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Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don – western redcedar |
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Note: Throughout
the years I've written short articles for our website's home pages
(home pages are the front page of a website) about these plants.
They are now included at the bottom of this page, and are
illustrated by botanical drawings and paintings, some of which are
from books published from 1500 - 1900. |
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Plant Brief: This is a magnificent cedar, much revered by the
northwest Native peoples. Such was their respect and dependence on this tree
that it was called “tree of life.”
Western Redcedar is found on the coast from southern
Alaska to northern California and also in the Rocky mountains from Alberta to
Idaho and Montana (USDA zones 3b-9). In the north it is restricted to lower
elevations (under 1,000’).
Western Redcedar grows rapidly, reaching 180’ and
develops massive, tapered boles and a broad, triangular shape – highly
ornamental. The branches droop down but turn up at the ends. Both the wood and foliage are highly fragrant. This versatile species prefers moist soil but is
extremely adaptable. Can stand in some water in the winter. Shearing can produce hedges which are particularly
useful as windbreaks.
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The following article was written by Jennifer Bosvert |
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Description:
One of the native giants of the Pacific
climax forest, this majestic evergreen also adapts well for use in the
garden. In the wild, one might
run across the Western Redcedar in boggy, lowland forests, or in the
Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) and
Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) forests of the mountains.
Among older trees Western Redcedar is obvious and startlingly
green, because unlike its fir and hemlock peers, Western Redcedar retains lower
branches as it gets larger. Thus
in a forest of magnificent brown tree trunks, Western Redcedar is an oasis
of green for the eye. |
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Drooping branches that flare out near the
ends are adorned with lacy scale-like leaves. Fanning out in thick green
swathes, the scale-like tendrils create a gradating pattern of color as light
hits the narrowly conical tree.
Although the giants of this species reach
200’ and 1,000 years of age on the Olympic Peninsula of western
Washington, they work beautifully in the garden. Not a true cedar (hence “red cedar”), this species grows to a
maximum of 130’-200’ at maturity with a trunk diameter of up to 10.’
In old growth forests, one can observe the enormous buttressed base
of the mature trees that spread out much broader than 10.’
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Depending on exposure and the age of the
tree, the bark appears from its natural red color to a more weathered gray. The
bark easily shreds off into soft reddish fibers and grows thin, unlike the thick
bark of its forest cousin, the Douglas fir. Pressed closely
to the twig, the 1.5-3 mm long leaves are green above, and show an
identifying white “butterfly” or “bow-tie” underneath where they
come together in a regular, repeating pattern.
Male and female flowers are found on the same tree although usually
on separate branches. The
male cones appear small and reddish, and unlike the other native
“cedars,” the half-inch long female cones grow upright and bent back
along the branch. The young green cones resemble the bowl of a pipe and turn
bluish then ripen red-brown as they open into a small woody rosette. Ten
to twelve scales per cone is average, although usually only about six are
fertile and bear seed.
When walking nearby, the spicy, sweet smell
of the Western Redcedar is distinctly different from the other smells of the
northwest forest and very pleasant. This tree grows quickly, sometimes up to one
meter per year, however a tree of this species will need hundreds of years to
achieve the maximum size discussed above.
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Mature Thuja plicata on Reed
College Campus, Portland, Oregon |
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Habitat and Range: Thuja plicata is found from Alaska to northern California,
and from the Pacific Ocean to Montana. It prefers the maritime climate of the coastal fog belt, but is
found also on dryer slopes, naturally occurring along the Pacific Ocean
from the Alaskan panhandle through British Columbia, Washington, Oregon
and just barely into northern California. In the interior, Western
Redcedar is found throughout the Cascades, and in the wetter parts of the
Rockies in British Columbia, northwestern Montana, northern Idaho and
northeastern Washington. In other regions of eastern Washington and Oregon,
Thuja plicata is restricted to pockets in wet ravines and valleys. Western
Redcedar grows in a variety of soil types and does very well in
boggy areas. |
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Ornamental Values:
While the mature size of the Western Redcedar might seem
intimidating, it has versatile garden uses. It's use as a vibrant tree is obvious in the yard, garden or
park, but young trees can also be planted and maintained as a hedge. The lacy foliage interweaves between the individual plants and can
be sheared or the terminal leaders topped to make a graceful screen or
hedge. Unlike other conifers, red cedar sprouts new foliage along the
trunk, making it an even more attractive hedge specimen.
Western Redcedar is hardy to USDA zone 4. As
mentioned above, Thuja plicata is happiest in the coastal fog belt,
however it grows well in drier soils, especially those a little richer. It can tolerate waterlogged soils, heavy clay and also shade (with
nutrients), but does not tolerate salt spray. Generally it does well in a climate of cool summers and wet, mild
winters. Growing at rates of
up to one meter per year, Western Redcedar can make a quick impact on the
yard or garden.
Native Plant Gardening/Wildlife Habitat:
Western Redcedar offers excellent cover from predators for birds and
squirrels. Birds, like
Towhees or Juncos, appreciate the cover provided by the persistent lower
limbs, and hummingbirds like to visit the new growth buds in the spring.
Like most conifers, the primary wildlife value of the Western Redcedar is found as winter shelter, cover from predators, and as a
nesting site in the spring. |
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Restoration and Mitigation Values:
Western Redcedars love to have their feet wet, and therefore are an
obvious choice for streamside and wetland restoration. Although shallow rooted, this tree thrives where most conifers will
not grow. Seedlings and young
trees transplant well and grow quickly which is especially helpful with
habitat stabilization. Historical and Cultural Uses:
Called “the tree of life” by the Kwakwaka’wakw of the central
coast of British Columbia, this tree surely lives up to that name. |
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The myriad
uses are too many to name them all. Some
of the more famous uses include the construction of canoes (hence “canoe
cedar”), lodges and totem poles.
Lodges were usually about 20’ wide and 40’ long,
and the cedar boards used to construct them were about 2” thick and 2’-5’ wide.
The wood was split in planks from living trees, using antler and wedges made
from a yew tree, and then the lodge timber construction was held together with
rope made from cedar bark.
The Western Redcedar canoes were such amazing vessels that about 1900, J.C.
Voss bought an average 38’ dugout red cedar canoe from Vancouver Island
Indians, and with the addition of 3 masts and a cabin, he used it to sail
around the world. |
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Native Americans also used the fiber of the bark to make
clothes, raingear, mats, ropes, and was so soft that it was used in baby
diapers. The smaller, younger
roots, and narrow withes were used in basketry and to make fishing nets
and traps. Other various uses
include: wood for arrow and spear shafts, bark fibers for tinder and
wicks, wood for ceremonial carving, rattles and toilet sticks (prior to
the introduction of paper), and the low smoke, aromatic fire from red cedar
was favored for smoking salmon. It
should also be mentioned that Thuja plicata is the official tree of
British Columbia. Up until 1900,
one could still see the stumps near Orofino Idaho, of the Western Redcedars that the Lewis and Clark expedition felled to make their canoes for
the western half of the Corps of Discovery.
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Edible and
Medicinal Uses:
Reportedly, Native Americans eat the spring cambium of Thuja
plicata fresh, or they dry it for eating later. The pitch is chewed like gum, and as mentioned above, the wood of
Western Redcedar is favored for smoking salmon.
Various infusions and decoctions of the bark and twigs of
Western Redcedar were used historically by Native Americans to treat several
ailments, including: rheumatism, lung ailments, colds, fevers, and stomach
ailments.
NOTE: Please use caution when preparing or eating any parts of a plant.
Identification of the species and knowledge of a plant’s toxicity
are both essential before using any plant species medicinally or
otherwise. Please consult
with a health professional before attempting to treat any ailment.
Propagation Techniques:
In the wild, one can observe new red cedar trees sprouting readily
from fallen trunks and branches of nurse trees (along with the requisite
huckleberry of course). However,
for those of us without a nurse log in our backyard:
Seeds – Collect the cones from trees after they have turned from
yellow to brown, but before they open. Then dry on a plastic sheet for several days until the cones dry
and open. Shake the seeds
loose from the cones, and separate the seeds from the chaff with a light
fanning. Do not de-wing the seeds. The seeds germinate
well without stratification, however a cold moist stratification at low
temperatures can stimulate faster germination of stored seeds. In the spring sow at a depth of 0.5 cm in moist
soil. Shade for the first year.
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Photo by
Walter Siegmund:
"This is the 'Hobbit Tree,'
the largest known Western Redcedar in the world. It lives near the northwest
shore of Quinault Lake north of Aberdeen Washington which is about 21 miles from
the Pacific Ocean, near Higley Creek in the southwest corner of Olympic National
Park." |
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Cuttings – Layering and cuttings work well. Cuttings taken of half-ripe wood in late summer will root in a
shaded cold frame by September (and should winter over in the frame).
Common Diseases:
Thuja plicata is relatively disease free. The primary risks to Western Redcedar are trunk and
root butt rots, however these generally affect only old trees. The acidity of the bark keeps it free of moss, lichens or
fungi. Although not strictly
a disease, young trees should be protected from browsing by deer.
See Identification of False Cedars
for more information.
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From Homepage March 12, 2004
Western Red Cedar (Thuja
plicata) is one of our most versatile northwest native trees. The forest
green foliage stays year-round and smells fresh and clean. If you need a
fast growing hedge, this is the perfect choice. You can sheer it back
for a neat looking living wall, you can let it grow high to make an
excellent sound barrier. Planted alone, the tidy conical shape makes an
unmatched architectural statement.
Also known as Giant Arborvitae, this tree
grows in many climates and is about the only cedar that can tolerate wet
feet in the winter months. And it grows FAST. Northwest Native Americans
call this tree the "Tree of Life."
Whether you want a hedge, a background for
smaller plants or a specimen tree, Western Red Cedar could be just the
thing for your landscape.
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From Homepage September
2, 2005
This week we focus on the
Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata). This is an important tree in our
culture, in the history of our land and was an element the First Nations
relied on for all phases of their existence.
Interestingly, few cedars
were cut down before explorers from other lands came to call. Instead of
felling the trees, fallen logs or boards split from living trees were
used.
In their 1994 book,
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, Pojar and Mackinnon say:
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"The power of the
Red cedar tree was said to be so strong a person could receive
strength by standing with his or her back to the tree...It is called
the 'tree of life' .... and is still held with highest respect by
all northwest coast peoples for its healing and spiritual powers."
Western Red Cedar is often
used as a living fence in the landscape or as a striking specimen tree.
Especially successful plants beneath your Western Red Cedar are
Sword Fern (Polystichum munitum),
Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum),
False Lily-of-the-Valley (Maianthemum dilatatum)
and Stream Violet (Viola glabella).
Because this tree does not
have needles, it is kinder to a fastidious gardener. It has a uniquely
clean and fresh aroma. |
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References:
Arno, Stephen F. Northwest
Trees. The
Mountaineers: Seattle WA, 1977
Gardenbed.com. http://www.gardenbed.com/t/3887.asp
Accessed 4/2002
Hartzell, Hal Jr. The Yew Tree: A Thousand
Whispers. Hulogosi: Eugene OR, 1991
Hitchcock, C. Leo and
Arthur Cronquist. Flora of
the Pacific Northwest. University
of Washington Press: Seattle, 1973
Jensen, Edward C. and
Charles R. Ross. Trees to
Know in Oregon. Oregon
State University and Oregon Department of Forestry, 1994
Kruckeberg, Arthur R. Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific
Northwest. University of Washington Press: Seattle, 1996
Mathews, Daniel. Cascade-Olympic Natural History. Raven Editions in conjunction with the Portland Audubon Society,
1988
Moerman, Daniel E. Native
American Ethnobotany. Timber
Press: Portland OR, 1998
Peattie, Donald Culross. A Natural History of Western Trees.
Houghton Mifflin: Boston MA, 1950
Pojar, Jim, and Andy MacKinnon. Plants of the
Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone
Pine Publishing:
Vancouver BC, 1994
Rose, Robin, Caryn E.C. Chachulski and Diane L. Haase. Propagation of Pacific Northwest Native
Plants. Oregon State University Press: Corvallis OR, 1998
Thwaites, Reuben Gold, Editor. Original Journals
of the Lewis and Clark Expedition 1804-1806. New York: Arno Press,
1969
US Department of
Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire
Sciences Laboratory http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/ thupli/index.html,
accessed 4/2002
Western Garden Book. Sunset: Menlo Park CA, 1995
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