Thuja occidentalis (Northern White Cedar Swamp Cedar Arborvitae)

An evergreen tree with a naturally narrow pyramidal shape from north eastern USA and eastern Canada. The Ojibwe nation used all parts of the tree for medicinal and also construction purposes. Clips well and often used for hedging.

Masses of space and light to maintain the lower foliage. Any reasonably well drained soil - in the wild they occur in wet forests and coniferous swamps but are also tolerant of dry soils once established.

N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.

As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.