Western Red CedarThuja plicataHeight: 75' average mature height Zones: 5-8 Find my zone Aspect: partial shade to full sun Watering: needs regular irrigation, about once per week during hot weather Maximum Water: tolerates wet soils with occasional summer flooding Habit: single stem or trunk Foliage: evergreen Growth Rate: fast Native To: AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, WA
Size Availability
1 gallon 20 to 26 inches tall - $15.00 each
Bulk Pricing: $12.50 each for 5 or more - 17% off Bulk Pricing: $10.00 each for 10 or more - 33% off Bulk Pricing: $6.50 each for 100 or more - 57% off
Ships free with orders of $75!*Packed with a bagged root ball.
2 gallon - $25.00 each
Ships free with orders of $75!*
Packed with a bagged root ball.
Production notes: reliable production
Very similar to and a close relative of Incense-cedar (
Calocedrus decurrens
), Western Red Cedar (or Redcedar) is an attractive western native that has slightly drooping branches with scale-like leaves similar to most popular Cypress species. It looks somewhat like
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana
, except that it has deep green leaves rather than silver gray. Both species occupy overlapping ranges with
C. lawsoniana
growing farther. Western Red Cedar is one of the parent species for the popular hybrid "Green Giant Arborvitae" which behaves and looks very similar but has a more open habit and faster growth rate.
Western Red Cedar is most often used for privacy hedges or screens because of its dense foliage and extremely fast growth. Although it prefers full sun, it will grow in shade and is often one of the best choices for a tall evergreen hedge for deeply shaded locations.
If sheared annually, plants can be shaped into an orderly hedge or used to create arches and other patterns.
Thuja plicata
prunes into a formal hedge better than most other related species and is more forgiving if not kept up with. Dormant buds survive on old wood much longer than many other conifer species which allows older branches to produce growth after shearing. The shade tolerance of Western Red-cedar allows the inner branches to survive in low light conditions that would cause dieback in other species, such as Eastern Arborvitae.
Varieties
'Green Splendor'
is a variety of Western Red-cedar that holds its green color through the winter better than typical Red Cedar seedlings but is otherwise similar in habit and size. The foliage size is finer and more lacey and more similar to Port Orford Cedar than typical Western Red-cedar seedlings.
'Green Sport'
also holds its green color better through cold winters than seedlings but the foliage shape and size is the same as typical seedlings other than the coloration.
Western Red-cedar foliage
Source: Commons
The underside of the foliage
Source: Commons
A mature tree showing its dense foliage and evenly conical form
Source: Commons
Slightly droopy foliage
Source: Commons
Cones just starting to ripen
Source: Commons
One of the largest old growth Red-Cedars
Source: Commons
Seed cones opening. Source: By Walter Siegmund (talk) - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4179073 
2021 plug seedling size 
The winter color of 'Greensport'
Thuja plicata - Western Red Cedar quart seedling
Thuja plicata - Western Red Cedar 30 inch size
Green Splendor winter color
Thuja plicata - Western Red Cedar deep plug size
Packing Plants For ShippingWe pack our plants depending on the needs of each species and size, most plants ship best with the roots packed in moist sawdust or bark fines but some species don't like root disturbance and are shipped in a soil-less growing media. Excess soil is washed from the roots in preparation for shipping (18-24" White Pines)  Plants are bundled together to fit in boxes  Bundles of plants are secured in long boxes. Plant Sizes 3 gallon Dawn Redwood  Standard quart shrub  Standard 14-18" multi-stem tree size  Standard deep plug pine tree Bamboo Plants Are Shipped In Their ContainersBamboo roots are not flexible and so plants have to be shipped in their containers. These plants are heavier and are shipped separately from bare root plants. Because they are potted they can handle longer transit times so can ship via UPS Ground instead of USPS Air Mail. Potted plants can also be shipped year-round.We regularly top our 1 gallon bamboo plants at 24-30 inches tall throughout the growing season. This results in dense, bushy foliage while allowing for economical shipping. From this size most running species will grow to 5-6 feet tall in the first spring and clumping species will usually grow to 4-5 feet tall.  1 gallon bamboo plants strapped in and ready to be sealed. Unpacking Bare Root PlantsYou will be sent tracking details as soon as your plants are shipped. Unpack your plants as quickly as possible after they are delivered. We use two types of boxes, side-sealing and top-sealing. For boxes that are taped along the whole length you can cut the tape on either side and remove the plant bundles by cutting the tape holding the bundle to the bottom. For boxes that are sealed on the top and bottom, it is easiet to open the bottom of the box (the shipping label is at the top) and pull the bundle of plants out straight out. Check that the box is empty as there can be a second bundle of plants stuck towards the top. A bundle of trees. What if I am not able to plant right away?You can usually leave the plants in their shipping container unopened for 1-2 days if there were no shipping delays and you have received your plants from late November through February. Plants shipped when it is warmer can't stay in their packages for as long.For longer term storage of plants you can pot them up or plant them in rows close together temporarily and then pull them out later in the spring to be planted again. This keeps the roots moist while allowing for air flow to the tops. The roots should have good contact with the soil to ensure they have access to adequate moisture. |
Size Availability
1 gallon 20 to 26 inches tall - $15.00 each
Bulk Pricing: $12.50 each for 5 or more - 17% off Bulk Pricing: $10.00 each for 10 or more - 33% off Bulk Pricing: $6.50 each for 100 or more - 57% off
Ships free with orders of $75!*Packed with a bagged root ball.
2 gallon - $25.00 each
Ships free with orders of $75!*
Packed with a bagged root ball.
Production notes: reliable production
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Red Panda Nursery