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Tried and True Native Plant Selections
for the Mid-Atlantic
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Thuja occidentalis (Arborvitae, Northern Whitecedar)
This native tree of northeastern and north central North America* can be very long-lived; along the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment in Canada, specimens could be over 1,000 years old. The common name, which means “tree of life,” refers to the medicinal properties of the bark and foliage, which cured scurvy.
*In the Mid-Atlantic Region, it is not native to DC and DE. It occurs sporadically in PA. In MD, it is found in Montgomery and some of the northwestern counties. In VA, it is infrequent in the mountains and it is native to only one site in the Piedmont. It is not native to NoVA.
Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants:
Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets