Western Red Cedar
Thuja plicata
Pronounced Thoo’Yah, it is a more Yellowy Green than Lawson Cypress or Leylandii, and it’s leaves are flatter. Thuja is used less these days as a hedging conifer, but it does make a nice hedge or wind break, which has a wonderful smell when the foliage is bruised or cut. It has the added advantage that it is pretty shade tolerant, and will grow well on shallow chalky soils, which is unusual for most conifers. Often planted in newly establishing Beech woods to draw the beech up during their early years of development. There is a nice ‘variegated’ variety called ‘Zebrina’
This yellow tree is Thuja occidentalis ‘Rheingold’ although there are many fancy varieties available.
This is Thuja plicata ‘Zebrina’, one of the best ‘variegated’ conifers