Thuja occidentalis
Northern White Cedar
You may know this tree by its other common name American Arborvitae. Arborvitae means “tree of life” and is so named for the tree’s diverse medicinal uses. It is often planted to make a hedge or living wall. Northern White Cedar is identifiable by its evergreen foliage, which is flat, scaly and almost fernlike in shape. You can also identify it by its tiny brown tulip-shaped cones. Northern White Cedar is common in the Adirondacks but is not native to the Catskills. We believe that the Arboretum’s grove was planted, along with Red Pine and European Larch, to reforest abandoned farmland in the 1930s-40s. The wood is strong, insect and rot-resistant and therefore a favorite among builders and furniture makers.