Join the RHS

Find a plant – quick search

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

Where are Plant Finder & Plant Selector?

We have combined these two powerful search tools into a single Find a Plant service searching over 250,000 plant records.

Virtually all of the features of the old searches are still available and in addition we have added several new features to create a more comprehensive and user friendly search experience.

When using this search

  • If you enter just a plant name, you will see results from the old RHS Plant Finder and Selector databases
  • If you select any attributes with or without a plant name, you will see a much narrower selection of results taken only from the old RHS Plant Selector database. These plants will have a lot more details displayed including an image.
  • Our Botanical team are working hard to increase the number of plants with detailed information.

Search by plant name, key attributes or both to find plant details and a list of suppliers.

 
  • AGM plants

    AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

    • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
    • Available to buy
    • Of good constitution
    • Essentially stable in form & colour
    • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Need more criteria? Try an advanced search
Back to search results

Thuja plicata

western red cedar

Sold by 17 nurseries

  • Other common names western red cedar
    British Columbia cedar

    Californian white cedar
    giant arbor-vitae
    Nootka Sound arbor-vitae
    western arbor-vitae
    yellow cypress

    see more

  • Synonyms Thuja gigantea
    Thuja lobbii

  • Family Cupressaceae

  • Genus Thuja are fast-growing evergreen trees of narrowly conical habit, with flat sprays of tiny, aromatic, scale-like leaves and small knobbly cones

  • Details T. plicata is a large, evergreen, narrowly-pyramidal tree reaching an ultimate height of up to 35m. Aromatic, glossy, scale-like, sharply-pointed leaves are held in large drooping sprays on spreading branches that curve upwards at the end. Cones are egg-shaped and around 1.3cm long

  • Plant range W North America

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Columnar/Upright

  • Fragrance Foliage

  • Toxicity Contact with foliage may irritate the skin. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or West-facing or South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained

  • SoilChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Higher than 12 metres

  • Ultimate spread wider than 8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 10-20 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grows best in moist but well-drained soil. Protect from drying winds especially when young. Suitable for hedging or screening

Propagation Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types Hedging & Screens Low Maintenance Architectural

How to care

Pruning None required, unless grown as a hedge

Pests May be attacked by scale insects and conifer aphids

Diseases May be subject to coryneum canker (see Conifers: brown patches)

Did you find the information you were looking for?

RHS members can get exclusive individual advice from the RHS Gardening Advice team.

Join the RHS now

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.