Thuja plicata is an evergreen tree species in the Cupressaceae or Cypress Family.
During the initial Reed College Canyon Restoration project in 1999, restoration ecologists designated Thuja plicata for planting in the Headwater Riparian Forest Zone.
Here, it shares soil with other Oregon native trees, shrubs, and other plants. In the understory, take notice of native roses and berries like Baldhip rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), and Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis).
Thuja plicata is implicated in mycrorhizzal exchange below the soil’s surface alongside other conifers like Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Simard et al (1997) demonstrated that mycorrhizae, fungal growth in rooty soil, facilitate the exchange of nutrients and other resources between trees exhibiting different strategies for resource acquisition. Further research by other scientists such as Cade-Menon and Berch (2011) elaborates the role of fungus in helping trees like Thuja plicata flourish.
Glance around and compare the leaves of Thuja plicata with those of other evergreen trees. What stands out? Still a conifer, Thuja plicata’s leaves resemble the scales of a fish, unlike the bottle-brush needles of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).
Thuja plicata’s niche in moist, lowland grounds reinforces its association with water. Commonly found near the ocean, Thuja plicata also dwells near other bodies of water like creeks, rivers, and Reed Lake. Its presence in the Reed Canyon, a veritable microcosm of Northwest, reminds us of the gift of abundant water in the Willamette Valley.
Many Northwest Coast indigenous people use Thuja plicata for building due to its supple wood. Its moldable yet resilient bark makes it an ideal candidate for basketry and ropemaking.
The Reed College campus is on Stl’pulmsh (Cowlitz) land.
During the initial Reed College Canyon Restoration project in 1999, restoration ecologists designated Thuja plicata for planting in the Headwater Riparian Forest Zone.
Here, it shares soil with other Oregon native trees, shrubs, and other plants. In the understory, take notice of native roses and berries like Baldhip rose (Rosa gymnocarpa), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), and Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis).
Thuja plicata is implicated in mycrorhizzal exchange below the soil’s surface alongside other conifers like Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Simard et al (1997) demonstrated that mycorrhizae, fungal growth in rooty soil, facilitate the exchange of nutrients and other resources between trees exhibiting different strategies for resource acquisition. Further research by other scientists such as Cade-Menon and Berch (2011) elaborates the role of fungus in helping trees like Thuja plicata flourish.
Glance around and compare the leaves of Thuja plicata with those of other evergreen trees. What stands out? Still a conifer, Thuja plicata’s leaves resemble the scales of a fish, unlike the bottle-brush needles of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).
Thuja plicata’s niche in moist, lowland grounds reinforces its association with water. Commonly found near the ocean, Thuja plicata also dwells near other bodies of water like creeks, rivers, and Reed Lake. Its presence in the Reed Canyon, a veritable microcosm of Northwest, reminds us of the gift of abundant water in the Willamette Valley.
Many Northwest Coast indigenous people use Thuja plicata for building due to its supple wood. Its moldable yet resilient bark makes it an ideal candidate for basketry and ropemaking.
The Reed College campus is on Stl’pulmsh (Cowlitz) land.
Works Cited:
- Cade-Menun, B. & Berch, S. (2011). Response of mycorrhizal western red cedar to organic phosphorus sources and benomyl. Canadian Journal of Botany, 75, 1226–1235.
- Cover photo: Zac Perry, "Western red cedar.jpg" Reed College Digital Archives. Photographed March, 1993. https://rdc.reed.edu/i/f0639543-9b9e-4f2d-9b07-b3e997c08127
- NativeLand.ca. (2021). Native-land.ca - Our home on native land. Available at: https://native-land.ca/. Last accessed 29 January 2021.
- Nesom, G. (n.d.). Plant Guide: Western Red Cedar.
- O’Connor, D. & Smith, K. (1999). Reed College | Canyon | Native Plant Revegetation. Available at: https://www.reed.edu/canyon/rest/enhancement/natives.html. Last accessed 29 January 2021.
- Simard, S.W., Perry, D.A., Jones, M.D., Myrold, D.D., Durall, D.M. & Molina, R. (1997). Net transfer of carbon between ectomycorrhizal tree species in the field. Nature, 388, 579–582.