Northern White Cedar

From WildernessWiki.org

The Northern White Cedar (Thuja Occidentalis) is a member of the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). It grows in a pyramidal shape, up to 70' tall and 3' wide, at breast height. Its leaves are scaly, and its bark thin and sliver-like. It is easily shredded.

Habitat and Range

The Northern White Cedar ranges from Southern Canada to Pennsylvania and from Minnesota to the Atlantic ocean, although scattered few can be found south to Illinois. The oldest recorded specimen is on the Niagra escarpment near Toronto, Canada. It is 1,696 years old. The Northern White Cedar generally grows in pure stands, but does integrate with other trees. It prefers alkaline soil, and grows well in swamps and areas with plenty of limestone.

Uses

Northern White Cedar has been used in the contruction of canoe since probably the time when those boats were invented. It is often used for frames for birch-bark canoes, occasionally as a dug-out, and even today, with strip canoes. It is also often placed in areas where moths do damage, such as stored clothing. Its aroma repells insects of many kinds. The needles make an excellent tea, which is very high in Vitamin C. In fact, this tea is credited with saving the lives of Jacques Cartier's men, who began to suffer from scurvy on their expedition. Cedar bark and twigs are excellent Tinder and Kindling for starting campfires, due to their high concentration of pitch.

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