Arborvitaes, Latin name thuja, are evergreen trees and shrubs that come in two varieties - Thuja plicata (Western red cedar/Giant Arborvitae) and thuja occidentalis (American Arborvitae, Eastern Arborvitae, Eastern or Northern White Cedar). The trees of the thuja genus vary from narrow to broad pyramidal shapes. Thuja plicata's rich, green foliage does not discolor in winter to the degree of thuja occidentalis (American Arborvitae), which often turns yellow-green or muted green, especially when exposed to winter winds. Thuja plicata grows in moist, acidic, well-drained soils but can also take heavy clay like in the Midwest. Thuja occidentalis grows in almost any soil: varied acidic and alkaline soils or limestone. These plants are a staple in landscaping and residential settings, commonly used as borders or screens.

Please contact the nursery for availability each season.

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Atrovirens Thuja plicata

Zone:  4 to 8
Average Size: 30-40' Tall, 15-20' Wide; Narrow, pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled evergreen; glossy, dark green, scale-like leaves
Light: Full Sun to Shade
Deer Resistant: Somewhat

Fast-growing

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Dark American Thuja occidentalis 'Nigra'

Zone: 3 to 7
Average Size: 20-30' Tall, 6-10' Wide or more; Broad, pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled evergreen; dark green, scale-like leaves in flattened sprays
Light: Full Sun
Deer Resistant: No

Slow to moderate growth rate

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Degroots Spire Thuja occidentalis

Zone: 3 to 8
Average Size: 15-20' Tall, 4-5' Wide; Dwarf; tall, narrow habit
Foliage: Needled evergreen; rich green, spiraling sprays of scale-like leaves; purplish cast in winter
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: No 

Slow-growing

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Elegantissima Thuja occidentalis

Zone: 5 to 9
Average Size: 10-15' Tall, 6-10' Wide; Conical to pyramidal form
Foliage: Needled evergreen; Scale-like, dark green leaves with golden yellow tips in flattened sprays; bronze in winter
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: Somewhat

​Slow-growing

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Emerald Green Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd'

Zone: 3 to 7
Average Size: 10-15' Tall, 3-4' Wide; Compact, narrow pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled evergreen; bright, lustrous, emerald-green scale-like leaves in multi-directional, flattened sprays
Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: No
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Slow to moderate growth rate
Excellent heat tolerance; cold hardy -40F

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Excelsa Thuja plicata

Zone: 5 to 7
Average Size: 20-35' Tall, 10-15' Wide; Pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled evergreen; rich, dark green ​scale-like leaves in multi-directional, flattened sprays
Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: Somewhat

Fast-growing

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Green Giant Thuja plicata

Zone: 5 to 7
Average Size: 50-60' Tall, 12-20' Wide; Pyramidal to conical habit
Foliage: Needled Evergreen; Horizontal to slightly upright branching with fans of dense, scale-like dark green leaves; may darken in winter
Light: Full Sun
Deer Resistant: Somewhat

Fast-growing

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Northern Spire Thuja plicata

Zone: 4 to 9
Average Size: 15-20' Tall, 5' Wide; Pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled evergreen; Flattened sprays of soft, dark green, scale-like leaves
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: Mostly

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Steeplechase Thuja plicata

Zone: 5 to 8
Average Size: 30-35' Tall, 10-15' Wide; Uniform, pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled Evergreen; glossy, dark green fans of dense, scale-like leaves
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade​
Deer Resistant: Yes

​Fast-growing

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Techny Thuja occidentalis

​Zone: 3 to 8
Average Size: 12-15' Tall, 6-10' Wide; Dwarf, broad, pyramidal habit
Foliage: Needled Evergreen; dark green fans of dense, scale-like leaves
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: No

Good cold and drought tolerance

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Woodwardi (Globe) Thuja occidentalis

​Zone: 3 to 7
Average Size: 4-10' Tall, 8-15' Wide; Dwarf, globular habit
Foliage: Needled Evergreen; rich green fans of dense, scale-like leaves
Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Deer Resistant: No

Slow to moderate growth rate

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Tree/​Shrub	Suggested Spacing	Minimum Spacing	Natural ​Growth (Width)
Dark American	6'	5'	6-8'
Emerald Green	4'	4'	4-5'
Green Giant	10'	8'	20'
Techny	6'	5'	8'

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