Thuja sp.
Arborvitae, Arborvitae
(c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Cupressaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Thuja sp. (Arborvitae) is a native California shrub in the Cupressaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Chamaecyparis: Thuja has upright oblong cones with overlapping scales; Chamaecyparis has round cones with shield-shaped scales.; vs Calocedrus: Thuja has upright cones and leaves as long as wide; Calocedrus has hanging cones and longer-than-wide leaves appearing whorled.; vs Sequoia: Thuja has only scale leaves in flat sprays; Sequoia has flat needles in two rows on most branches.; vs Cedrus: Thuja has tiny scale leaves and small cones; Cedrus has needles in clusters and large upright barrel-shaped cones.; vs Cupressus: Thuja has upright oblong cones that open quickly; Cupressus has round cones that stay closed for years.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thuja sp. native to California?
Yes. Thuja sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Thuja sp. belong to?
Thuja sp. is in the Cupressaceae family, genus Thuja.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.