White cedar, Northern white cedar, Yellow cedar, Featherleaf cedar, Arbor-vitae, American arbor-vitae
Thuja occidentalis

Family: Cupressaceae

What it is like

An evergreen tree. It is a narrow cone shape and grows 20 m high. It spreads 4.5 m wide. The bark is orange-brown and peels off in strips. The leaves are scale like and very small. They are glossy yellow above and white underneath. The male and female flowers occur on the same tree. The male flowers are red and the female flowers are yellow-brown. They occur in separate clusters at the ends of shoots. The fruit are oblong and 1 cm long. They are upright cones.

There are 6 Thuja species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows naturally in Eastern North America. It grows on rocky mountain slopes often on limestone and swamps. It does best on well-drained, alkaline soils. It needs an open sunny position. It is resistant to drought, frost and pollution. It suits hardiness zones 2-10. At Anvers Chocolate factory.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Austria, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Europe, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Korea, Libya, Myanmar, North Africa, North America (country/location of origin), Norway, Russia, SE Asia, Siberia, Slovenia, Sweden, Tasmania, USA

How it is used for food

The young leaves and shoot were cooked like vegetables and made into a soup. The leafy shoots are also used for tea. The soft inner bark or cambium can be collected in spring and eaten. Caution: It should only be eaten in small amounts.

Edible parts

Leaves, shoots, leaves - tea, bark

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or by cuttings.

Trees grow slowly. Trees can live for 400 years.

Its other names

Local names

Cemara kipas putih, Ameriški klek

Synonyms

Cupressus arborvitae O. Targ.Tozz.; Thuja procera Salisb.; Thuja theophrastia Nieuwl.; and many others