Plant Family: Cupressaceae
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree with a conical form that may live for hundreds of years under the right conditions.
Leaves: Very small and scale-like, overlapping on the twig, the leaf sprays are flattened.
Bark: Gray with reddish-brown under-bark; peeling off in thin strips.
Cones: Oblong, light green, to about 2 cm long, turning brown when mature.
Habitat: Prefers limestone soils and damp, low coniferous forests, but can also be found in upland areas.
Range: Eastern Canada south to New England and west to the Great Lakes; smaller local populations occur south in the Appalachians to Tennessee and North Carolina.
Similar Species: Atlantic White-Cedar has similar foliage, but the leaf sprays are more rounded and the cones are spherical.
Comments: Tea made from the leaves provides Vitamin C, and reportedly cured the 16th century French explorer Jacques Cartier and his crew from scurvy, resulting in the common name Arbor Vitae or “tree of life.” It subsequently was one of the first North American trees to be introduced to Europe and is a popular ornamental both there and in its native range. Deer are especially fond of the leaves and twigs for winter browsing.
