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Conifer · Cupressaceae Draft — unreviewed

Emerald Green arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis‘Smaragd’ L.

Also called Smaragd arborvitae.

Narrow, dense arborvitae that holds a bright green colour through winter. Used for tight privacy hedges where width is limited.

Size over time

Typical landscape size 3–5 m (10–16 ft) tall and 1–1.5 m (3–5 ft) wide; medium growth, about 25 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.25) from the #7 install size.

024mPlanting1.2 × 0.6 mYear 32.7 × 0.9 mYear 103.8 × 1.2 mMature4.0 × 1.3 m

Design notes

  • Deer browse arborvitae heavily in winter — protect with netting or choose another screen near woods.
  • Heavy snow splays the stems; tie or wrap leaders in snowy areas.
  • Needs consistent moisture; dries out and browns in hot, reflected sites.

Regions

Native range: Northeastern North America and the Great Lakes (species).

Native to these OpenLandscape3D pilot regions:

Northeast

Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.

Related plants

Green Giant arborvitae
Thuja standishii × plicata 'Green Giant' · Conifer · 9–15 m (30–49 ft)
Eastern red cedar
Juniperus virginiana · Conifer · 9–15 m (30–49 ft)
Dwarf Alberta spruce
Picea glauca 'Conica' · Conifer · 2–4 m (7–13 ft)
Eastern white pine
Pinus strobus · Conifer · 15–24 m (49–79 ft)
Eastern hemlock
Tsuga canadensis · Conifer · 12–21 m (39–69 ft)
White fir
Abies concolor · Conifer · 9–15 m (30–49 ft)

Plan with Emerald Green arborvitae

Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.

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