PINACEAE 

 ArborTitae. White Cedar 



Thuja occidcntalis L. 



HABIT. A tree 40-50 feet high, with a short, often but- 

 tressed trunk 1-2 feet in diameter, often divided into 2-3 second- 

 ary stems ; forming a rather dense, wide-based, pyramidal crown. 



LEAVES. Opposite, 4-ranked, scale-like, appressed; ovate, 

 obtuse or pointed, keeled in the side pairs, flat in the others, 

 l /i- l /4 inch long; yellow-green, often becoming brown in winter; 

 strongly aromatic when crushed. Persistent 1-2 years. 



FLOWERS. April-May ; usually monoecious ; the staminate 

 minute, globose, yellow, composed of 4-6 stamens arranged op- 

 positely on a short axis; the pistillate small, oblong, reddish, 

 composed of 8-12 scales arranged oppositely on a short axis. 



FRUIT. Early autumn of first season, but persistent on the 

 branch through the winter; erect, short-stalked, oblong-ovoid, 

 pale brown cones, about l / 2 inch long, composed of 8-12 loose 

 scales ; seeds ^ inch long, ovate, acute, winged. 



WINTER-BUDS. Naked, minute. 



BARK. Twigs yellow-green, becoming light red, finally 

 smooth, lustrous, dark orange-brown ; thin, light red-brown or; the 

 trunk, slightly furrowed or deciduous in ragged strips. 



WOOD. Light, soft, brittle, rather coarse-grained, durable, 

 fragrant, pale yellow-brown, with thin, whitish sapwood. 



DISTRIBUTION, Throughout the Upper Peninsula, Lower 

 Peninsula as far south as Montcalm County. 



HABITAT. Prefers moist soil in low swamps and along 

 river-banks. 



NOTES. Slow of growth. Tolerant of all soils and ex- 

 posures. Especially useful for hedges or narrow evergreen 

 screens. 



31 



