Is an Arborvitae Tree Pine or Cedar?

Description

• Arborvitae are evergreen trees that grow mainly in cool temperate zones of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Members of the genus Thuja grow in a variety of shapes ranging from short, rounded shrubs to tall cones. The blue-green to green foliage consists of soft, scale-like leaves that differ from the more prickly leaves of junipers. All leaves on a single twig are flattened in the same plane. The bark is thin and scaly. An arborvitae flower appears similar to a pine cone, but the tree does not produce fruit.

Uses

• The arborvitae tree reproduces readily from cuttings. This characteristic helps make it a favorite plant for landscapers and nurseries, which sell shrubby varieties for use as hedges and other landscape plantings. Since it is evergreen, arborvitae growing in the wild create dense year-round cover for nesting birds and small animals. During the winter months, the scaly leaves are an important source of browse for deer and other herbivores.

Compared to Pine

• Both arborvitae and pine are evergreen trees, but are substantially different. The leaves of pine trees are needle-like and form in bundles on the ends of branches. Pine trees produce seed-bearing cones. Arborvitae leaves are flat and scale-like and form flattened rows along the twigs. Arborvitae do not produce true cones.

Compared to Cedar

• Many trees have common names that include "cedar." This includes several arborvitae species, junipers and the incense cedar (Calocedrus spp.). True cedars are not native to the United States or Canada, although a few species have been imported as landscape trees. The leaves of true cedars are plump and needle-like, in comparison to the scaly leaves of arborvitae. True cedars also produce cones, which arborvitae do not.