Thuja occidentalis
American Arbor-vitae · Arbor-vitae · Eastern Arbor-vitae · Arborvitae
About the plant
What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.
The plant
- Habit
- TreeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Habit
- treePlants of the World Online
- Height
- 40-60 ft12-18 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Spread
- 10-15 ft3-4.6 mExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Blooms
- Mid SpringPLANTS Database
- Native range
- Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database
- Hardiness zones
- 3-7Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Soil
- Clay, Loam (Silt)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Soil pH
- Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Moisture
- Good Drainage, Moist, Occasionally DryExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Watering
- Drought tolerance: LowPLANTS Database
Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.
Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.
Worth knowing
- A tea of its foliage and bark, now known to be rich in vitamin C, saved Jacques Cartier's crew from scurvy. It was named arborvitae, Latin for tree of life, in 1558. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Thuja occidentalis
- Probably the first North American tree taken to Europe. It grows slowly and can live 400 years or more. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Thuja occidentalis
Protocol
DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993Difficulty Low
Sow outdoors and leave it
Sown outdoors in September; up in April.
No stated waiting before sowing. Then 210 days to germinate.
86% germination in 210 days.
How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.
Germination trials
Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials
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