The binomial Platycladus means "with broad or flattened shoots".

It has also been suggested, but not widely followed, that Microbiota could be included in the closely related genus Platycladus.

Its closest relatives are Platycladus, Microbiota and Calocedrus, with the closest resemblance to the latter.

In older texts, Platycladus was often included in Thuja, which is reflected in one of its common names, "oriental thuja".

Among introduced species, the adaptable Platycladus (Hindi: Morpankhi) does well, and Oriental Plane (Hindi: Chinar) too are seen.

Bai Zhi Ren, Biota Orientalis, Ce Bai, Ce Bai Ye, Chinese Arborvitae, Platycladus orientalis, Retinispora juniperoides, Thuja orientalis, Thuya de Chine, Tuya Oriental.

'Falls of Clyde' may refer to: 'Platycladus' is a distinct genus of evergreen Pinophyta tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae, containing only one species, 'Platycladus orientalis', also known as 'Chinese Arborvitae' or 'Biota'.

In most of the genera, the cones are woody and the seeds have two narrow wings (one along each side of the seed), but in three genera ('Platycladus, Microbiota' and 'Juniperus'), the seeds are wingless, and in 'Juniperus', the cones are fleshy and berry-like.

A cedar leaf oil is also commercially distilled from the Eastern arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis, also of the Cupressaceae), and similar oils are distilled, pressed or chemically extracted in small quantities from wood, roots and leaves from plants of the genera Platycladus, Cupressus, Taiwania and Calocedrus.