Forest Service Northern An American Wood United States Department of Agriculture White-Cedar FS-227

Northern white-cedar, the lightest of any commercial wood in the United States, grows primarily in the Lake States and Maine. It grows in both pure and mixed stands, mostly in swamps but also on uplands. The heartwood is resistant to decay and subterranean termites, is easy to work, glues well, holds paint well, and has little dimensional change. However, the wood is soft and has low mechanical properties such as bending strength and nail-holding ability. Recent uses have been prin- cipally for rustic fencing and posts. Other uses include cabin logs, lumber, poles, shingles, and several specialty products.

NOTE: This publication supersedes “North- ern White-Cedar,” unnumbered American Woods leaflet, 1945. An American Wood

Northern White-Cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) William F. Johnston and Matti J. Hyvarinen 1

Distribution

The range of the northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) extends mainly through the southern part of the eastern half of Canada and the adjacent northern part of the United States. Specifically, it extends westward from Nova Scotia to the southern part of James Bay and through central Ontario to south- eastern Manitoba, and then south through central Minnesota and Wisconsin, along a narrow fringe around the southern tip of Lake Michigan and through southern Michigan, southern New York, and central Vermont and New Hampshire (fig. 1). The species also grows lo- cally, north of the main range in northwestern Ontario and west- central Manitoba, and south of the main range in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, southern New England, and in the Appalachian Mountains from western Penn- sylvania south to western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

In the northern and boreal forest regions, northern white-cedar forms Figure 1 .–Natural range of northern P-506671 its own forest type, and is an associ- white-cedar. ate species in 12 other types. Trees Most commercial stands of northern The root system is relatively shallow, commonly associated with the white- white-cedar occur in swamps, but the and tall trees that are exposed to the cedar, on the wetter soils, especially species is also found on uplands. It wind are subject to uprooting. in swamps, are balsam fir, spruce generally grows best on neutral or Northern white-cedar is also suscepti- (black, white, and red), tamarack, slightly alkaline soils of limestone ble to fire damage because the bark is black ash, and red maple. On the bet- origin that are moist but well drained. thin and contains a relatively large ter drained soils, especially on The best swamp sites are usually near amount of oil, and the shallow roots uplands, birch (yellow and paper), streams or other drainageways where are often covered only by moss. Short quaking aspen, eastern hemlock, the organic soil is well decomposed, trees are commonly damaged by eastern white pine, and American elm neutral, or slightly alkaline, and has white-tailed deer because the foliage are commonly associated with white- actively moving soil water. On makes a palatable and nutritious cedar. The pure white-cedar type is uplands the species grows in scattered winter browse. In some areas, snow- usually considered to perpetuate clumps or dense pure stands mainly shoe hare browsing damages white- itself, whereas associates tend to on seepage areas, limestone uplands, cedar reproduction as much or more gradually replace white-cedar in and old fields. than deer browsing. mixed stands, particularly after dis- turbances. Northern white-cedar cones are 1/3- Description and Growth to 1/2-inch long. The scale tips are rounded or have a very minute spine, 1 Principal silviculturist, North Central Forest Northern white-cedar is a medium- and usually four scales are fertile (fig. Experiment Station, Grand Rapids, Minn., sized tree, commonly 40 to 50 feet 2). Seeds are 118-inch long, light and forest products technologist, Forest Pro- tall and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. A few chestnut brown, and have wings as ducts Laboratory, Madison, Wis., respective- trees grow as large as 80 feet tall and wide as the body of the seed. Leaves ly. 6 feet in diameter. are dull yellow-green, glandular-

2 An American wood

reproduction by layering is common cedar growing stock3 totaled 3.0 in swamps. Northern white-cedar is billion cubic feet, 42 percent of which tolerant enough of shade to withstand was in Maine and 31 percent in overtopping by its associates for Michigan. This volume includes 5.4 several years and yet responds well to billion board feet of sawtimber. In release at nearly all ages. So, depend- the 1960’s, annual growth of white- ing on their history, white-cedar cedar growing stock in the Lake stands can be uneven-aged as well as States and Maine totaled 71 million even-aged. cubic feet, which included 151 million board feet of sawtimber. Northern white-cedar generally grows more slowly than its associates and lives longer, reaching ages of 400 Production Figure 2.–Leaves and open cones of F-525736 years or more in swamps. Growth northern white-cedar. rate is usually faster on uplands and In the 1960’s, the annual harvest of in old fields than in swamps. It ap- northern white-cedar in the Lake pears that good growth in both States and Maine totaled 30 million diameter and volume can be main- cubic feet of growing stock, which in- tained in middle-aged stands through cluded 65 million board feet of repeated thinnings of moderate inten- sawtimber. The amounts of growing sity. stock and sawtimber removed in the Lake States were both far short of the desirable annual harvest, whereas Common Names in Maine harvesting exceeded growth, especially of sawtimber. Among these The name commonly used is northern States, Maine accounted for 67 per- white-cedar, but others are white- cent, and Wisconsin 4 percent. cedar, eastern white-cedar, arbor- Maine’s harvest of northern white- vitae, eastern arborvitae, and swamp- cedar more than doubled in board cedar. feet between 1958 and 1970, whereas Michigan’s harvest changed little dur- ing roughly the same period. Related Commercial Species

Northern white-cedar is listed sepa- Characteristics and Properties rately as both a species and forest type in resource bulletins for States Northern white-cedar has a thin layer where it is abundant. In most other of nearly white sapwood that sur- rounds the light brown heartwood; Figure 3.–Bark of mature northern F-525737 resource and market references, white-cedar. white-cedar is included merely under the growth rings are distinct, delin- pitted, scalelike, and 118- to nearly the entry “other softwoods.’’ Some- eated by a darker band of late wood. 114-inch long. The bark is 114- to times “cedars” are listed as a group; The wood has a characteristic, pleas- 113-inch thick, grayish to reddish a better but rare entry is “eastern ant aromatic odor of the “cedars.” It brown, and fibrous, with intercon- cedars,’’ which combines northern is even-grained, finely textured, and necting ridges and furrows (fig. 3). white-cedar, Atlantic white-cedar, and has the lowest density of any com- The trunk is often fluted and but- eastern redcedar. mercial domestic wood. A cubic foot tressed at the base, considerably of air-dry wood weighs about 19 tapered, and sometimes has butt rot pounds. in mature trees. Supply 2Land capable of producing industrial wood Good seed crops are produced every 3 Within its main range in the United and not withdrawn from harvesting by law or to 5 years. Germination and early States, stands of northern white-cedar regulation. growth are best on moist seedbeds occupied 3.2 million acres of com- 3Growing stock includes live trees 5 inches in such as rotten wood, compacted moss mercial forest land2 in the 1960’s. diameter at breast height and larger. in skid roads, and burns on both These stands occur primarily in the Sawtimber includes trees, 9 inches in diameter mineral and organic soils. Vegetative Lake States and Maine. Sound white- at breast height and larger.

3 An American Wood

The heartwood is resistant to decay lumber because the logs are often Recently, in Michigan, small amounts and subterranean termites. Drying of knotty, crooked, or hollow. The bet- of northern white-cedar have been northern white-cedar is easy. It has ter quality lumber is used for building used for pulpwood. The species little tendency to shrink or warp. The construction in places where a high makes acceptable kraft pulp; print- wood is easy to work with hand tools degree of durability is needed. The ability and opacity are excellent and and has average machining qualities. low grade material is used largely in strength is good. But debarking can It glues well, holds paint well, and the production of shipping con- be a problem, along with chipping, stays in place with little dimensional tainers. cooking, washing, and bleaching, change. However, because of its low unless special techniques are used. density, the wood is soft and has low Further, northern white-cedar yields In the past, northern white-cedar was mechanical properties such as bending less pulp per cord than other species strength, compressive strength, hard- one of the major species used for utility poles in the north central and because of its low density. Recent ness, stiffness, shock resistance, split- northeastern United States. However, tests indicate that white-cedar is also ting resistance, and nail- and screw- an excellent particleboard material. holding ability. this use is minor today mainly because of the increased size required for electrical poles and the conversion A considerable amount of “cedar leaf Principal Uses away from telephone poles. Even oil” is made from northern white- though northern white-cedar is cedar boughs by steam distillation In recent years northern white-cedar naturally resistant to decay and ter- and used in medicinals and perfumes. has been used principally for rustic mites, most utility and building poles Boughs are also used for background fencing and posts. For example, are now treated with preservative for and fillers in floral arrangements. Maine used 24 million board feet of additional service life. white-cedar for fencing in 1970 and In addition, many varieties of north- Michigan produced 2.9 million posts Smaller amounts of northern white- ern white-cedar are used as orna- in 1972. Other important uses, at cedar are used for piling, lagging, mentals. Forest-grown trees, on the least in certain areas, include cabin pails and tubs, ties, boatbuilding other hand, are valuable for wildlife logs, lumber, poles, and shingles. (especially canoe ribs), tanks, novel- habitat, particularly winter deeryards. ties, and woodenware. Small amounts White-cedar is highly preferred by Northern white-cedar sawtimber are also used for fishnet floats, duck white-tailed deer for both shelter and generally has a low yield of usable decoys, and imitation minnows. browse.

July 1979 4 U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1979 O - 298-077