White cedar

Also known as annedda, western thuja played an important role as a healer during the crossing of Jacques Cartier's crew. When they arrived on First Nations lands, the crew was suffering from scurvy, a terrible disease caused by a severe vitamin C deficiency. An infusion of western thuja concocted by the Aboriginals helped the team alleviate their ailments. Thuja was used for a multitude of tasks such as making ropes and making canoes. It was also used to make the first beaks for harvesting sugar maple sap.

Native to eastern North America, western thuja is one of the few conifers that have abandoned needles to adopt foliage composed of scales. It can reach heights of 15 to 20 meters with a diameter of more than 1 meter. It is often associated with eternity, as it is blessed with a long life that can reach the honorable age of 500 years. It gains a foothold in swampy or very dry areas. There is nothing better than a beautiful moss cedar forest to remind us of the magic of the forest.

This tree represents healing and senescence.