However, the American Forestry Association's record eastern arborvitae found in Michigan measured 69 inches in diameter and 113 feet tall. The decay resistance and durability of the wood of arborvitae bring it into urban settings as rustic fencing and posts or roofing shingles. The lightweight wood is strong even though ring shake, or separation of the annual growth rings, is common in standing trees. It splits easily into thin layers, the characteristic that accounts for ring shake in standing trees and the wood's use for shingles. For the same reason the wood was used in the past by native Americans to make ribs for canoes.
Eastern arborvitae is particularly valuable in winter deeryard management as both cover and browse.
The trees also provide excellent cover for birds, particularly warblers, white-throated sparrows, and kinglets. In large urban parks or estates where white-tailed deer numbers may be high, browsing of eastern arborvitae could be a problem. . Planting and Care Eastern arborvitae grows best on limestone-derived soils that are moist, but well drained, and neutral to slightly alkaline, pH 6.5 to 7.5 being most favorable. Native trees are usually found in moist woods, often near or beside water although they do not tolerate prolonged flooding. In urban settings where competition and fire are not a challenge, a wide variety of organic and mineral soils yield trees of better form and volume growth than natural stands.