Thuja Plicata - Taxonomy and Name

Taxonomy and Name

Thuja plicata is one of two Thuja species native to North America, the other being Thuja occidentalis. The species name plicata derives from a Greek word meaning "folded in plaits", a reference to the pattern of its small leaves.

Most authorities, both in Canada and the United States cite the English name in two words as western redcedar, or occasionally hyphenated as western red-cedar, to indicate is not a cedar (Cedrus), but it is also confusingly cited as western red cedar in some popular works. In the American horticultural trade, it is also known as the giant arborvitae, by comparison with arborvitae for its close relative Thuja occidentalis. Other names include giant redcedar, Pacific redcedar, shinglewood, British Columbia cedar, canoe cedar, and red cedar. Arborvitae comes from the Latin for "tree of life"; coincidentally, native Americans of the West coast also address the species as "long life maker".