Click on the images help you identify a northern white cedar.
Form
Compact, pyramidal tree, 50 to 60 feet tall, with a diameter of 24 to 36 inches. Trunk is often twisted, strongly tapered, and frequently divided into two or more direct stems. Branches are short and nearly horizontal. Dead branches are stiff and persistent, sometimes forming almost impenetrable thickets. In the open, tree develops a conical, symmetrical crown. Numerous ornamental or garden varieties of white cedar are known as arborvitae.
Bark
Gray to reddish-brown, separating in long, vertical, narrow, shreddy strips.
Leaf
Scalelike, green to yellowish-green, 1/8 to 1/4 inch long, arranged so that small branches appear flat. Pleasant, aromatic scent when crushed; pungent to the taste.
Fruit (seed)
Small, oblong cones ripen in the fall of the first year. Yellowish-brown, about 1/2 inch long, with six to 12 scales, borne singly or in large clusters on branch ends.
Range
Common in northern Minnesota, usually growing in moist areas, often in dense, pure stands. Sometimes found on stony ground, singly or in small clumps, as far south as Winona County. Shade-tolerant.
Wood uses
Light, soft, brittle, coarse-grained, durable, fragrant, and pale brown. Especially valued for fence posts, building poles, rot-resistant lumber, and shingles.