Thuja: Country Or Region Of Origin
North America, parts of East Asia
Plant Profile: Thuja
Taxonomy: ThujaNames
Arborvitae
Phonetic Spelling:THOO-yuh
Genus:Thuja
Species:
Family:Cupressaceae
This genus originates from North America and certain regions of East Asia. Its evergreen foliage and conical form make it a popular choice for ornamental landscaping.
Tags
#evergreen
#conifer
#tree
#tsc
#evergreen tree
#tsc-cg
Similar Plants
Thuja is often confused with:
Thuja Feature Summary
Attributes
North America, parts of East Asia
Introduced to Europe
Woody
Fruit
No true fruit– female cones are oval-shaped, brown, and take a long time to develop. They open up to a flared shape.
Green
Brown/Copper
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
No true flowers– pollen cones are small and grow from the tips of the branches.
Brown/Copper
< 1 inch
Leaves
Small, scale-like leaves. Can be distinguished from Chamaecyparis by the lack of white markings underneath the leaves. Older leaves also have raised glands near the tip.
Needled Evergreen
Green
Needles
Other/more complex
Entire
< 1 inch
Fragrant
Long-lasting
< 1 inch
Bark
Brown to red-brown, fibrous bark.
Dark Brown
Scaly
Furrowed
Whole Plant Traits
Stem
Thuja Image Gallery
Thuja Attributes
Thuja: Distribution
Introduced to Europe
Thuja: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Thuja Fruit
Thuja: Fruit Description
No true fruit– female cones are oval-shaped, brown, and take a long time to develop. They open up to a flared shape.
Thuja: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Thuja: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Thuja: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Thuja Flowers
Thuja: Flower Description
No true flowers– pollen cones are small and grow from the tips of the branches.
Thuja: Flower Color
Brown/Copper
Thuja: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Thuja Leaves
Thuja: Leaf Description
Small, scale-like leaves. Can be distinguished from Chamaecyparis by the lack of white markings underneath the leaves. Older leaves also have raised glands near the tip.
Thuja: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Thuja: Leaf Color
Green
Thuja: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Thuja: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Thuja: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Thuja: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Thuja: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Thuja: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Thuja: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Thuja Bark
Thuja: Bark Description
Brown to red-brown, fibrous bark.
Thuja: Bark Color
Dark Brown
Thuja: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Thuja Whole Plant Traits
Thuja: 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
Thuja: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Thuja: 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
Thuja Stem
Thuja: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
