American arborvitae

American arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

Description

A large white cedar, Thuja occidentalis, native to the northeastern United States and Canada. The American arborvitae, or northern white cedar, produces a pale brown, soft, aromatic timber that is resistant to fungi and moisture. The soft, lightweight wood is used for shingles, poles, tanks, cedar chests, and small boats. Thuja leaf oil is extracted from its leaves.

Synonyms and Related Terms

northern white cedar; eastern white cedar; New Brunswick cedar; eastern arborvitae ; Thuja occidentalis; Abendländische Lebensbaum (Deut.); tuia occidentale (It.); zywotnik zachodni (Pol.)

Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Tree growing to 10-20 m with 0.5 diameter trunk
• Density = 22 pcf

Additional Images

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  American arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
  radial section

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  American arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
  tangential section

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  American arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)
  transversel section

Resources and Citations

• G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p. 808

• Northern Hemlock and Hardwood Manufacturers Association, Oshkosh, Wis.: air-dry weight = 22 pcf

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thuja_occidentalis (Accessed Mar. 15, 2006) -for non-English terms

• Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996

• Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998