Side by side
Western red cedar or northern white cedar? How to tell them apart
Thuja plicata · Thuja occidentalis
How to tell them apart – western red cedar: glossy dark green foliage with white patches underneath that smells of pineapple, becomes a large tree; northern white cedar: dull yellowish-green foliage without white patches that turns brownish in winter, stays smaller.
_AR1bJPG.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
How do you recognise them?
- Western red cedar
- Large thuja with glossy dark green scale leaves that smell of pineapple when crushed; white patches underneath.
- Compared with northern white cedar: glossy dark green foliage with white patches underneath that smells of pineapple; becomes a large tree.
- Northern white cedar
- Thuja with dull, yellowish-green scale leaves without white markings underneath, which turn brownish in winter.
- Compared with western red cedar: dull yellowish-green foliage without white patches that turns brownish in winter; stays smaller.
| Western red cedar | Northern white cedar | |
|---|---|---|
| Needles | Scale leaves in flat, slightly drooping sprays; glossy dark green above, with white patches below. Crushed, they smell sweetly of pineapple. | Scale leaves in flat, fan-like sprays; dull green above, paler yellowish green below without white patches. Crushed, they smell strong and fruity, rather like apple. Often brownish in winter. |
| Flowering | – | – |
| Cones and seeds | Upright, elongated cones 1–1.5 cm long with 10–12 scales that open like a small flower. | Upright, egg-shaped cones about 1 cm long with 8–10 thin scales; yellowish green at first, brown when ripe. |
| Bark | Reddish-brown, in long, soft, fibrous strips; the base of the trunk is often broadly flared and fluted. | Reddish-brown to grey, in narrow, fibrous strips. |
| Shape and height | Conifer, 25–40 m | Conifer, 10–20 m (in gardens usually 3–10 m) |
| Site | Sun to shade, any garden soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, any garden soil, normal |
| Native to Belgium | No, planted | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | – | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets | Yes, take care with children and pets |
| Pruning months | May–June and August–September | May–June and August–September |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Western red cedar is poisonous to people and pets: take care with children and animals.
- Northern white cedar is poisonous to people and pets: take care with children and animals.
- Western red cedar (25–40 m) and northern white cedar (10–20 m (in gardens usually 3–10 m)) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Western red cedar
- Plant profile: Northern white cedar
- Western red cedar: when and how to prune
- Northern white cedar: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.