softwood page

the Genus THUJA

NOTE: unless otherwise specifically stated, all of the images shown on this
page are of 1/4" square end grain cross sections shown at 12X with the top
of the image towards the bark and the bottom towards the pith so that
earlywood is towards the bottom of the growth rings and latewood is towards the top

to see all species with links to their anatomy page go here: species links

"Cedar" is a generic name used with over 200 species from over two dozen genera. I've broken this particular one out because there are enough of them that breaking them out on their own page helps avoid clutter on the cedar page

general characteristics of the genus Thuja (at least as represented on this page):

• parenchyma:
• rays:
• growth rings:
• resin canals:

     

• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis
• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis
• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis

   

• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis --- these two are from nearby areas of the same sample
• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis --- these two are from nearby areas of the same sample

   

• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis --- these two are from nearby areas of the same sample
• arborvitae (Northern white cedar) / Thuja occidentalis --- these two are from nearby areas of the same sample

     

• arborvitae / Thuja occidentalis --- these two are from nearby areas of the same piece
• arborvitae / Thuja occidentalis --- these two are from nearby areas of the same piece
• arborvitae, Japanese / Thuja standishii

     

• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata --- a relatively low ring count area of this particular piece
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata --- a high ring count area of the same piece
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata

     

• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata --- a particularly fast-growth sample

     

• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata

     

• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata

   

• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata
• Western red cedar / Thuja plicata