• Photo of Platycladus orientalis (Platycladus orientaliss)

Plant Profile: Platycladus orientalis

Taxonomy: Platycladus orientalis

Names

Eastern Arbor-Vitae, Oriental Arborvitae, Oriental thuja

  • Photo of Platycladus orientalis (Platycladus orientaliss)

Phonetic Spelling:plat-ee-KLAD-us or-ee-en-TAY-liss

Genus:Platycladus

Species:orientalis

Family:Cupressaceae

This plant develops into a thick, conical or columnar tree or shrub, gradually becoming more open as it matures. It thrives in environments with good air circulation and releases a scent when its leaves are damaged. Generally, it adapts well to various conditions, although it does not fare well in overly wet or boggy areas.

Well-cared-for trees typically experience minimal issues. However, it's important to monitor for pests such as bagworms and spider mites. Additionally, heavy snow and ice can cause branches to snap during the winter months.

Platycladus orientalis Feature Summary

Platycladus orientalis Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#full sun tolerant
#specimen
#wildlife plant
#yellow-green
#needles
#cones
#cover plant
#scales
#playground
#hedges
#small mammals
#buffer
#children's garden
#screening
#fantz
#bird friendly

Similar Plants

Platycladus orientalis is often confused with:

Platycladus orientalis Feature Summary

Attributes
China, Korea, Russiian Far East
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Buffer
Screening
Fruit
Seed is inside the cone. The tiny oval seeds start yellow and turn light brown as they mature. When cones open, they look like roses.
Brown/Copper
Blue
Leaves
Triangular scale-like yellowish-green leaves start out as flattened sprays, becoming darker green with age. Bronzes in winter.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Needles
Bark
Reddish-brown
Dark Brown
Red/Burgundy
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Landscape
Children's Garden
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Specimen
Walkways
Recreational Play Area
Woodland
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Pond
Songbirds
Small Mammals

Platycladus orientalis Attributes

Platycladus orientalis: Country Or Region Of Origin

China, Korea, Russiian Far East

Platycladus orientalis: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Platycladus orientalis: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Platycladus orientalis: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Platycladus orientalis Fruit

Platycladus orientalis: Fruit Description

Seed is inside the cone. The tiny oval seeds start yellow and turn light brown as they mature. When cones open, they look like roses.

Platycladus orientalis: Fruit Color

grass
Blue
grass
Brown/Copper

Platycladus orientalis: Fruit Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Platycladus orientalis: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Platycladus orientalis Flowers

Platycladus orientalis: Flower Description

Oval cones

Platycladus orientalis: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Green

Platycladus orientalis: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Platycladus orientalis: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Platycladus orientalis Leaves

Platycladus orientalis: Leaf Description

Triangular scale-like yellowish-green leaves start out as flattened sprays, becoming darker green with age. Bronzes in winter.

Platycladus orientalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Platycladus orientalis: Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Green

Platycladus orientalis: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Platycladus orientalis: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Platycladus orientalis Bark

Platycladus orientalis: Bark Description

Reddish-brown

Platycladus orientalis: Bark Color

grass
Dark Brown
grass
Red/Burgundy

Platycladus orientalis: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy

Platycladus orientalis Whole Plant Traits

Platycladus orientalis: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Platycladus orientalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Platycladus orientalis: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Platycladus orientalis: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Platycladus orientalis: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Platycladus orientalis: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Platycladus orientalis Cultural Conditions

Platycladus orientalis: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Platycladus orientalis: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Platycladus orientalis: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Platycladus orientalis: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Platycladus orientalis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Platycladus orientalis Stem

Platycladus orientalis: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Platycladus orientalis Landscape

Platycladus orientalis: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Platycladus orientalis: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Platycladus orientalis: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Platycladus orientalis: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees