Thuja occidentalis, also known as northern white-cedar or eastern arborvitae

Sold by the gram, $0.35/g. Please bring or order a bag.

MAIL OR PICK UP ORDER (pre-packed)
You must (please) order a minimum of 100g and buy a biodegradable bag or container. We reserve the right to change your container to a more appropriate size as needed and to credit or invoice you for any difference in your total order cost.

OVERVIEW
Northern cedar is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is native to eastern Canada and much of the north, central and upper Northeastern United States, and widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

Common names include:
-northern white-cedar or whitecedar
-eastern white-cedar or whitecedar
-white cedar
-swamp cedar
-false white cedar
-arborvitae
-American arborvitae
-eastern arborvitae
The name arborvitae is particularly used in the horticultural trade in the United States. It is Latin for "tree of life" - due to the traditional medicinal properties of the sap, bark and twigs. Despite its common names, it is not a true cedar in the genus Cedrus, nor is it related to the Australian white cedar, Melia azedarach.

Common Uses:
White-cedar is a tree with important uses in traditional Ojibwe / Anishinaabe culture. Honoured with the name Nookomis Giizhik ("Grandmother Cedar"), the tree is the subject of sacred legends and is considered a gift to humanity for its myriad uses, among them crafts, construction, and medicine. It is one of the four plants of the Ojibwe medicine wheel, associated with the north.

INTERNAL USES: White-cedar foliage is rich in Vitamin C and is believed to be the annedda that cured the scurvy of Jacques Cartier and his party in the winter of 1535–1536. Due to the presence of the neurotoxic compound thujone, internal use can be harmful if used for prolonged periods or while pregnant.

EXTERNAL USES: The essential oil within the plant has been used for cleansers, disinfectants, hair preparations, insecticides, liniment, room sprays, and soft soaps. Teas and soups are made from the inner bark of the soft twigs to relieve constipation and headache.

In the 19th century, T. occidentalis extract was in common use as an externally applied tincture or ointment for the treatment of warts, ringworm, and thrush. "An injection of the tincture into venereal warts is said to cause them to disappear."

DISCLAIMER
The information presented on this website is for informational, reference and educational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by health care practitioners.

The photo is a work of a United States Department of Agriculture employee, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.