The east-coast counterpart of Western Red Cedar, also called Eastern Arborvitae in North America. Believed to be one of the first North American trees introduced to the Old World, credited to French explorer Jacques Cartier (1491-1557) around 1536, who named it Arborvitae (‘tree of life’) after indigenous people showed its use against scurvy. First recorded in Britain in 1596.

Native to eastern Canada and the USA, especially around the Great Lakes. It grows from sea level to 900m on a wide range of sites but rarely forms extensive natural stands. The true form remains relatively uncommon as an ornamental in north-west Europe.

Monoecious.

A medium-sized tree, rarely over 20m in Britain and Ireland, usually single-stemmed, columnar and slender, also reproducing by layering where low branches touch ground. Bark red-brown ageing grey, fibrous and stringy. Foliage in fine, lace-like sprays, sharply aromatic when crushed, the scale-leaves green above with uniformly yellow-green undersides. Female cones 10-14mm, green to brown, with two woody scale pairs releasing eight seeds. Western Red Cedar differs: much larger, with white-patterned leaf undersides.

Thrives best in moist but well-drained soils in sheltered positions. Tolerates waterlogging. Can be clipped and trimmed but not back to woody stems.

No notable associations where introduced.

Generally a healthy species.

Its compact form has long suited its use as an ornamental specimen tree or hedge plant in gardens. Several hundred cultivars are known to exist, including different forms (fastigiate are especially popular) and foliage colour variations.