Northern White Cedar An attractively symmetrical, conical shaped conifer, Northern White cedar is a good choice for any garden. Thuja occidentalis, also known as northern white-cedar or eastern arborvitae, is a tree in the 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. Its common name 'Arbor vitae' originated from its importance in its Native North America and Canada, literally translating as 'Tree of life', as it has so many uses from timber for building and wildlife habitat to aromatic oils. The bark is red-brown, furrowed and peels in narrow, longitudinal strips. Northern white-cedar has fan-like branches and scaly leaves with slender seed-cones, yellowish-green at first ripening to brown. Great choice for a hedge to provide solid privacy in your garden.Site: Tolerates some exposure, larger trees do not like too much wind Soil: Moisture retaining, does not like very dry soils, prefers acid but lime is good tooPosition: Full sunSeason of Interest: Evergreen, Attractive shapeHardiness: Fully hardyHeight: 50-60ft (15-18m) Spread: 20-30ft (6-9m) 30-40 years