The White Cedar tree is common in bogs and swampy, wet areas. The common name is "Arborvitae", meaning "tree of life".  Northern white cedar wood is  naturally bug and rot resistant .  As it ages, it  weathers to a beautiful silver grey color. White cedar is a soft wood that handles paint and stain in a uniform manner. It is also split, crack, and water resistant. The durability of this type of wood is tremendous. White cedar wood is used in decking, siding, shingles, out door furniture, fence panels, garden materials, saunas, boats, canoe ribs, and even ships use white cedar in their construction. It is a favorite food with the whitetail deer we have here in Michigan.!