Arborvitae
- Owner: Holly Dz
- Jul 21
- 5 min read
Corresponding Blog for Podcast Episode 116
Arborvitae are one of the most used landscape plants in the Midwest. Not only are they gorgeous, (mostly) green giants, they are utilitarian in many gardens!
Useful and pretty? Perfect combo!
Apart of the Cypress family- Cupressaceae
Also includes Juniper, Dawn Redwood, Cypress, False Cypress, Bald Cypress, etc
Genus: Thuja
Common Names
Usually known as Arborvitae or shorthand is Arb
American Arborvitae, Eastern Arborvitae, Western Arborvitae (depending on variety)
White Cedar or Northern White Cedar
Or some refer to them as just Cedar trees as well
Arborvitae have a wide range of growth habits and sizes making it a versatile tree and shrub to plant in your landscape. They are frequently utilized as natural barriers or fences in various landscapes because they are among the few evergreens that are denser and grow faster than many other evergreens.
All Arbs have scale like leaves that are soft in texture, unlike many other evergreens. The sprays or branches are also flattened almost giving the illusion they were pressed in a book and put back on the tree! Arbs do produce cones but they are usually very small. When a cone is mature, it almost looks like a mini brown flower on the leaves.
The hardiness zone is dependent on the variety but it is generally within zone 3-7.
Rounded Arborvitaes (Shrub Sizing):
Mr. Bowling Ball®: Dark green, rounded shrub that reaches about 2-3' tall and wide
Little Gem: Dark green, rounded shrub that reaches about 2-3' tall and 3-4' wide
Tator Tot®: Medium green, rounded shrub that reaches about 2-3' tall and 3-4' wide
Hetz Midget: Dark green, rounded shrub that reaches about 3-4' tall and wide
Fire Chief: Medium green center with orange and red tips, rounded shrub that reaches about 3-4' tall and wide
Golden Globe: Golden yellow, rounded shrub that reaches about 3-4' tall and wide
Rheingold: Golden yellow, rounded shrub that reaches 3-5' tall and wide
Little Giant: Medium green, rounded shrub that reaches about 4-6' tall and wide
Woodward: Medium green, rounded shrub that reaches about 4-6' tall and wide
Conical & Columnar Arborvitaes (Tree Sizing):
Holmstrup: Can grow up to 6-8' tall and 2-4' wide
Sunkist: One of the free tree form Arbs that have a golden foliage. It is golden color in summer and turns and orangish color in fall. Can grow up to 6-10' tall and 5-8' wide.
Technito®: Can grow up to 8-10' tall and 4-5' wide
Emerald: Can grow up to 10-15' tall and 3-4' wide
North Pole®: Can grow up to 10-15' tall and 3-5' wide
Brandon: Can grow up to 12-15' tall and 6-8' wide
Techny: Can grow up to 12-15' tall and 8-10' wide
Pyramidal: Can grow up to 15-25' tall and 3-5' wide
Dark Green: Can grow up to 15-18' tall and 8-10' wide
DeGroot's Spire: Can grow up to 20-30' tall and 4-6' wide
Patriot: Can grow up to 20-30' tall and 5-6' wide
Spring Grove®: Can grow up to 20-30' tall and 10-12' wide
Wintergreen: Can grow up to 20-30' tall and 8-10' wide
Green Giant: Can grow up to 50-60' tall and 12-20' wide (known to be deer resistant)
Sun Requirements:
Arborvitae look their absolute best when they are in full sun. They do well in part sun as well and can still survive in mostly shade. Depending on the light, the plant will look a little different. In full sun, your Arbs will be very full and dense. The less sun you put them in, the thinner the foliage will be.
Water Requirements:
During the first year of growth, it is important to give Arborvitae enough water while they are becoming established- especially in the hot summers!
Once this plant is established, you can generally follow the typical tree watering instructions Once established, they can become drought tolerant, but they may also benefit from watering during prolonged dry spells.
It is best to water heavier and less frequently than less water and more often.
For the first full season, you will need to keep up with watering. Plants in the first establishing year need 2 inches of water a week. This could be provided by rainfall but if it isn't, a deep soak around out once every 5-7 days in enough water.
Fertilizer Requirements:
If you plan to fertilize your Arbs, they prefer something that has higher nitrogen and lower phosphorus and potassium to help their foliage grow to its fullest. The NPK ratio could look something like 10-3-3 on the package. Using a slow release fertilizer, which usually comes in a granular form, would be best for Arbs
As I always say, fertilizer is up to you and your preferences. Overfertilizing is really the only truly "wrong" thing you can do with fertilizing. There are LOTS of different brands and products to fertilize plants with dependent on your needs and budget.
If you need help understanding fertilizer a bit more, check out Podcast Episode 103 or the Fertilizer Explains blog post.
Common Issues:
The major concern with crabapples is the susceptibility to diseases. Frankly, this is a common problem and I would highly recommend you research the varieties you want a bit more before diving in.
Winter Burn: browning of the tips moving inwards caused by potentially lack of moisture, strong winter winds, or salt from roads and sidewalks.
University of Wisconsin Horticulture Extension goes into great detail how to know if you have it, how to prevent it, and how to save your plant!
Eaten by deer: just keep in mind, deer will eat anything if they are desperate
Try putting up netting or burlap
There are supposed deer resistant Arbs like "Green Giant"
If you are in a climate that does not freeze, you can try a granular or spray repellent
Other Facts:
These trees can be used in many different ways like a natural fence, noise barrier, privacy screen, windbreaks or even focal points in your landscaping.
Arbs don't need to be trimmed often but if you do need to trim them back, it is best to do it late winter or early spring when they are still dormant. This allows the plant to recover and push out of new growth.
If you haven't noticed new growth on an evergreen, it feels soft and rubbery in texture. Over the course of several weeks, this hardens off to form the established leaves on the Arb.
The foliage has a tangy fragrance when pruned or damaged
The name Arborvitae is Latin for "tree of life" and its Latin name "Thuja" is a Greek word for perfume
Arborvitaes are commonly used in winter arrangements, wreaths, planters, & garland!
For more Landscape information, check out the following podcasts and blog
WANT TO LISTEN?
Go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and more! Search for Houseplant Homebody to hear this episode and MANY more! You can also listen directly on my website under the Podcast page!
DON'T FORGET TO FOLLOW!
Stay connected on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest @houseplanthomebodyllc.
SAVE, COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE.
All your engagement on my podcasts, blogs, and social media posts help other plant lovers find me too!
Always written with extreme plant passion!
Love, Holly (Owner & Creator of Houseplant Homebody LLC)
Comments