American Arborvitae, White Cedar, Eastern Arborvitae

THUJA OCCIDENTALIS

 Hardy zone 3-7.  A native of eastern North America. Arborvitae also called White Cedar is a handsome pyramidal evergreen shrub or tree with foliage varying from dark green to light green during the growing season. The foliage on Arborvitae is scale like, flat with inconspicuous buds and can  brown somewhat during the winter months. White Cedar buds are somewhat difficult to discern from last years growth. The Arborvitae cones are about 1/2" long, about the size of an Eastern Hemlock.  Flowers in May, purplish on tips of side twigs; pistillate on different branches. Some of the Arborvitae cultivars retain their green foliage well into winter. The arborvitae bark is gray-brown somewhat similar to Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana) and peels off readily in June when making fence posts. The wood is light, soft, brittle, rather coarse grained, durable, fragrant, pale yellow-brown, with thin, whitish sapwood. White cedar wood weighs 19 pounds per cubic foot when dry. Arborvitae can grow to 60' and is considered a slow to medium grower. An interesting ability of the American Arborvitae is it's ability to overcome adversity in it's favored habitat. In the wetter areas at Porcupine Hollow if an Arborvitae topples over it will root along the length of the trunk. Arborvitaes have also sprouted from old White Pine stumps cut 100 years ago. The stump will rot away leaving the Arborvitae roots above ground. See the last photo below. White Cedar grows well in wet areas and will grow equally well on dry sandy hill tops. White Cedar likes high humidity and tolerates wet soils and some drought, but not salt exposure of any kind.  Transplanting is moderately easy if plants are root-pruned and either balled and burlapped or grown in rootbags and  makes an excellent hedge or scree n. Many of the natural stands of Arborvitae in the United States have been cut. Some remain in isolated areas along rivers throughout the East. White cedar are found most commonly mixed with hemlock  and yellow birch in low lying areas in the upper Midwest. Arborvitae have shallow root systems when growing on wet ground and can blow over easily. Good survival in ice storms. Arborvitae are widely used as a shrub hedge and can be grown so that the branches are so intertwined as to make an unpenetrateable fence. Arborvitae are also an excellent choice for a windbreak where deer damage is not a problem. Arborvitae is the tree of choice in northern areas for fence post and shingles as the wood resist rotting. If you have the time and desire Arborvitae can be rooted easily in the early spring from cuttings.

Pest & disease problems

 Pests of the White Cedar are Arborvitae leaf miner which mines out the leaf tips, causing them to turn brown. Scales of several types infest the stems and foliage. Mites cause yellowing and speckling of the foliage. Bagworms can devour large quantities of foliage very quickly. Fletcher scale over winters as a small, reddish brown nymph on twigs and needles of the white cedar. The over wintering females are out when the redbuds are blooming. Juniper scale causes a yellowing of the needles. Females over winter as adults with eggs, there is only one generation per year. The crawlers emerge in early June in Michigan. , spruce spider mites, tip blight, phytophthora root rot.
Diseases of arborvitae can include leaf blight which causes brown spots on the leaves in late spring.
      We also have Brandon, Degroots, Emerald Green, Techney, George Peabody, Holstrum and Zabrina in the cultivar Arborvitaes. To buy Arborvitae seedlings or check price and availability click on the drop down menu below. If no menu appears we are sold out till fall.

Field of 4'-5' Arborvitae	Maggy holding a 3-3  18"-24" White Cedar transplant	Molly with two 3-3 24-36" White Cedar transplants	White Cedar sprouted from White Pine stump.	Arborvitae seedling at 5'

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To order Arborvitae seedling by PHONE: We're glad to take your order by phone. For your convenience, we have a toll free number  800 568-9179.  Phone orders can be charged to VISA, American Express or MasterCard accounts.

To order Arborvitae seedlings by MAIL: For those who wish to order by mail or prefer to send a check, send orders to: Porcupine Hollow Farm   8593 W. State Rd.  Central Lake, Mi. 49622

Order Arborvitae by using our secure shopping cart:

Plant Type Age Size Quanity / Price Arbs-white cedar 2-0 3-5" Choose Quanity/Price 50 @ $2.00 Each 100 @ $1.00 Each 500 @ $0.50 Each 1000 @ $0.30 Each   3-0 10-16" Choose Quanity/Price   2-2 6/12" Choose Quanity/Price 10 @ $7.00 Each 25 @ $5.50 Each 50 @ $3.50 Each 100 @ $2.10 Each 500 @ $1.10 Each 1000 @ $0.85 Each   2-2 12-18" Choose Quanity/Price 100 @ $2.50 Each 500 @ $1.20 Each 1000 @ $0.95 Each   2-3 18-24" Choose Quanity/Price 10 @ $9.00 Each 25 @ $6.80 Each 50 @ $4.80 Each 100 @ $2.90 Each 500 @ $1.80 Each 1000 @ $1.35 Each   2-3 24-36" Choose Quanity/Price 10 @ $10.00 Each 25 @ $8.00 Each 50 @ $6.00 Each 100 @ $4.00 Each 500 @ $2.45 Each   2-3 36-42" Choose Quanity/Price 10 @ $15.00 Each 25 @ $12.00 Each 50 @ $8.00 Each 100 @ $5.00 Each

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Michigan Residents add 6% sales tax.