Buy Thuja plicata

Also Known As

Giant Arbor
Western Red Cedar

Plant type

tree, conifer

size

H: 50'-120'
W: 15'-50'

planting zones

5a-10b

12 to 14 inches tall - bare root | $11.67

Shipping flat rate $12

Fewer than 21 at Red Panda Nursery

20 to 26 inches tall - bare root | $22.39

Shipping flat rate $12

Fewer than 5 at Red Panda Nursery

More Options

Thuja plicata plant details

Thuja plicata is a fast-growing evergreen conifer tree with green foliage. Attracts birds. Grows well with sun - dappled shade and even moisture - regular water. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in acidic, clay, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something verticillium wilt resistant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Thuja plicata

Plant type: conifer tree
Plant family: cupressaceae
Foliage: evergreen green
Mature size: 15 FT - 50 FT - wide, 50 FT - 120 FT - tall
Uses: bare root shipping available, columnar

GROWING CONDITIONS for Thuja plicata

USDA Zones: 5a - 10b
Sun exposure: sun - dappled shade
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: verticillium wilt
Soil needs: acidic, clay, rich and well-drained

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Nursery contributed plant descriptions

A stately large tree from the Western United States with elegantly drooping sprays of bright-green, scale-like leaves which have a burnished bronze tint in winter, the leaves are quite aromatic when crushed; reaching 50-75' in the garden setting, it can reach up to 200' in the wild and can live from 400 to 1,000 years; traditionally used for totem poles, the wood contains a natural fungicide Thujaplicin which prevents it from rotting, making it a very useful wood. S/M

By: Forestfarm

Very similar to and a close relative of Incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens), Western Red Cedar (or Redcedar) is an attractive western native that has slightly drooping branches with scale-like leaves similar to most popular Cypress species. It looks somewhat like Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, except that it has deep green leaves rather than silver gray. Both species occupy overlapping ranges with C. lawsoniana growing farther. Western Red Cedar is one of the parent species for the popular hybrid 'Green Giant Arborvitae' which behaves and looks very similar but has a more open habit and faster growth rate.

Western Red Cedar is most often used for privacy hedges or screens because of its dense foliage and extremely fast growth. Although it prefers full sun, it will grow in shade and is often one of the best choices for a tall evergreen hedge for deeply shaded locations. If sheared annually, plants can be shaped into an orderly hedge or used to create arches and other patterns. Thuja plicata prunes into a formal hedge better than most other related species and is more forgiving if not kept up with. Dormant buds survive on old wood much longer than many other conifer species which allows older branches to produce growth after shearing.

By: Red Panda Nursery

Branches horizontal, drooping, turning upward at end. NW Native, tolerant of damp soils. USDA Zones 5-9

By: Lael's Moon Garden

An important timber tree in the Northwest, this is also a very desirable and fast growing tree for the larger yard or where a tall hedge is needed. It has broad, flattened, deep green foliage with scale like needles. The foliage is fragrant and useful in wreaths. It grows in a conical upright form which, as it matures, will have somewhat weeping branches. An attractive evergreen. Can grow 2' or more each year when established.