Thuja occidentalis (Arborvitae, White Cedar)
Thuja occidentalis (Arborvitae, White Cedar)
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$30 minimum per species for seed.
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Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) expresses the viable seed content of a seed lot using its purity and germination or viability test results. It helps you compare seed lots and calculate how much bulk seed is needed to meet a specified PLS planting rate.
PLS weight and bag weight
PLS weight is not the same as the total weight of seed in a bag. For example, a lot with 80% purity and 75% viability contains 60% PLS: 80 × 75 ÷ 100 = 60. Supplying 10 lb PLS from that lot requires about 16.67 lb of bulk seed.
Use the current seed test and the stated basis of the mix specification. Germination calculations may include applicable hard or dormant seed. Seed-count estimates also require the number of seeds per pound; PLS alone does not provide a seed count.
What to check when buying a mix
Check whether each rate is stated in PLS pounds, bulk pounds, or a combination. A mix with both bases should not be described as having an all-PLS total.
PLS does not remove weed seeds or guarantee establishment. Review the seed label and analysis for weed content, and match site preparation, planting conditions and follow-up management to your project.
Sources: USDA NRCS, Understanding Pure Live Seed and The Importance of Seed Quality for Natural Resource Conservation.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
Northern white cedar grows slowly in moist, calcium-rich ground. In the southern part of its range, including Illinois, some afternoon shade helps match its preferred conditions.
For Thuja occidentalis, choose full sun to light shade and moist soil. Recorded habitats include forested fens; Seeps; Springs. Reported height: 40-60 ft.
Leave room for the mature branches beside paths and nearby plantings. Growth habit: densely branched conical crown; trunk may remain single or divide into several upright branches. Root structure: shallow, spreading roots.
Plant specifications & ecological relationships
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full sun to light shade |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Moist |
| Height | 40-60 ft |
Native landscape companions
For full sun and moist soil, consider these native plants alongside Thuja occidentalis:
| Companion plant | Height |
|---|---|
| Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) | 8-25 ft |
| Red-Twig Dogwood, Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) | 3-9 ft |
These landscape suggestions combine overlapping growing needs with documented plant associations. Match soil, seasonal wetness and mature spread to your site. Remnant records are described separately under Plant communities & associates.
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Growth habit | Densely branched conical crown; trunk may remain single or divide into several upright branches |
|---|---|
| Root form | Shallow, spreading roots |
| Soil pH | Prefers neutral to alkaline soil |
| Cultivation hardiness zones | Zones 3a–7b (general cultivation guidance) |
| Drought tolerance | Low |
| Deer browsing | Twigs and branchlets are favored winter browse for white-tailed deer. |
| Salt tolerance | Medium |
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Thuja occidentalis |
|---|---|
| Other common names | eastern white cedar; American Arborvitae; Eastern White-Cedar; Northern White-Cedar |
| Seed germination | USDA lists cold stratification as required; duration is not specified. |
| Plant family | Cupressaceae |
| Seeds per pound — reference estimate | 345600 |
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates
Other documented plant associations
These published associations show how this plant fits into natural vegetation. The region and community are identified for each list; moisture, shade and flooding can differ within a community.
Tamarack swamps on more productive organic soils
Northern forest region
Other regional plant communities
These plants are named with this species in published vegetation accounts. Each list keeps its community and region; some records describe a shared vegetation type rather than neighboring plants in a measured plot. They are ecological records, not a planting recipe, and may include plants unsuitable for a particular garden.
- Coastal dune forests (Northern Lake Michigan): Prunus virginiana.
- White-cedar beach strands (Northern shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron): Iris lacustris.
- Moist forests and wooded wetlands (Eastern United States and Canada): Cornus sericea.
- Moist conifer forest overstory (Northern North America): Picea glauca, Populus tremuloides, Populus balsamifera.
- White-cedar swamps on richer sites (Northern North America): Acer spicatum, Cornus stolonifera, Lonicera canadensis.
- White-cedar swamps on poorer sites (Northern North America): Ledum groenlandicum, Vaccinium spp., Gaultheria procumbens, Gaultheria hispidula.
- White-cedar swamp ground flora (Northern North America): Rubus pubescens, Maianthemum canadense, Dryopteris spp., Cornus canadensis, Smilacina spp., Sarracenia purpurea.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.
| Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest | FACW |
|---|---|
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 10 |
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Connecticut; Illinois; Indiana; Kentucky; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Tennessee; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife
Caterpillars & other plant-feeding insects
This plant has published caterpillar host records for the butterflies and moths listed below. These are larval feeding relationships, separate from adult nectar visits. The records span a North American literature compilation and do not establish that every insect occurs locally or uses only this plant.
Moths
- Amorbia humerosana — White-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Argyresthia aureoargentella
- Argyresthia canadensis
- Argyresthia thuiella — Arborvitae Leafminer
- Cingilia catenaria — Chain-Dotted Geometer
- Coleotechnites thujaella — Brown Cedar Leafminer Moth
- Dichomeris setosella — Hairy Dichomeris
- Digrammia continuata — Curve-Lined Angle
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for Arborvitae, White Cedar?
Light: Full sun to light shade. Soil moisture: Moist.
How do I germinate and establish Arborvitae, White Cedar from seed?
USDA lists cold stratification as required; duration is not specified.
Is Arborvitae, White Cedar deer and herbivore resistant?
Twigs and branchlets are favored winter browse for white-tailed deer. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Landscape companion selection: Natural Communities compared the growing requirements shown on these species pages with selected source records: Coastal dune forests — Northern Lake Michigan; Moist forests and wooded wetlands — Eastern United States and Canada. The shortlist is a planting-design inference. A shared record does not establish adjacency, identical soil requirements, local seed origin, or a tested planting combination. Regional synthesis records retain their documented focal-to-associate scope.
Native range & ecological ratings: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), via Universal FQA; USACE Chicago FQA (2017); Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online; USACE National Wetland Plant List.
Growing conditions & other references: Illinois Wildflowers, John Hilty; USDA Forest Service: tamarack; USDA Forest Service: Cornus sericea; USDA Forest Service: Prunus virginiana; USDA Forest Service: Thuja occidentalis; USDA NRCS PLANTS; NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.
Wildlife records: Shropshire & Tallamy: caterpillar hosts (2025).
Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.
Research notes & credits
USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Retained for comparison; the displayed C-value follows Flora database 80.
Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.
Caterpillar host records: Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, Supplement 1. Contains information from this database made available under the Open Database License (ODbL 1.0). Natural Communities selected species-level records and screened source qualifications. The complete selection and transformation instructions for this page are available below under the same license.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
Caterpillar research records
Plant: Thuja occidentalis
Record scope: Host literature synthesis; no county nativity or local insect occurrence inferred.
Shropshire & Tallamy (2025) · Original research dataset · Reuse license: ODbL-1.0
| Plant names in the source | Source insect record IDs |
|---|---|
| Thuja occidentalis | 200710, 201360, 201365, 201403, 202978, 203325, 204062, 204121 |
How these records were selected
To reproduce this selection, use the “UDELep May 2025” worksheet in the original research dataset.
- Match the insect record IDs above to column A (UDLepID). Within each table row, pair every listed insect ID with every listed source plant name.
- Use the first two words in column H for the insect’s scientific name, column E for its common name, and column AB for its source category.
- Treat the selected pairs as reported caterpillar host records. Keep all other source fields unchanged and outside this selected table. Include no other rows or host pairs.
- Group butterflies and skippers together, and the other categories as moths. Retain the source’s exotic-category labels and sort display names by scientific insect name.
Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.
Northern White Cedar (commonly know in the landscape industry as Arborvitae) is exceedingly rare in nature in northern Illinois, but exceedingly common in landscaping :) It is common in landscaping because it performs very well as a dense evergreen screen. It is exceedingly rare in nature because it is a relic of colder times of glaciers gone by. It has great smelling foliage and is hard to beat for native privacy screens. However, it does grow on the slowers side but can live up to 400-800 years. What?!
Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories
- Website orders: Seed, plugs and bare-root plants offered for shipping are shipped to your address. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
- Container trees and shrubs: Some #3 and #5 container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders where indicated in the cart.
- Wholesale orders: Delivery and pickup are arranged separately according to the order, supplier yard and location. Wholesale pickup is free.
- Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.
Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
- Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability. We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish. If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date. If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
- Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
- Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.
Where We Ship
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
- Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
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