Arborvitae Trees
If you want instant privacy without the maintenance of a fence, start with arborvitae trees. From fast-growing Thuja ‘Green Giant’ for quick screening to space-saving spires like Emerald Green (Smaragd) and DeGroot’s Spire, these evergreens deliver dense, year-round foliage, wind filtering, and sound buffering with a naturally tidy shape. We curate cultivars for real-world performance—clean color through winter, strong central leaders, and reliable cold and heat tolerance—so your hedge looks polished from day one.
At Garden Goods Direct, every tree is nursery-grown and zone-ready, shipped fast, and backed by our "We Grow Together" Promise. You’ll find honest specs on mature height/spread, growth rate, and spacing, plus straightforward planting and watering guidance. Whether you need a 20-foot living wall or a narrow column beside a driveway, we’ll help you pick an arborvitae that establishes quickly and stays beautiful with minimal pruning.
Arborvitae (Thuja) are the go-to evergreens for creating structure and privacy in residential landscapes. Our collection spans Green Giant and other western arborvitae workhorses for 2–3 ft/yr growth once established, plus eastern arborvitae selections such as Emerald Green (Smaragd), Nigra, Forever Goldy, DeGroot’s Spire, and Junior Giant for narrower footprints. Expect rich, fine-textured sprays that retain color through winter and a naturally conical habit that remains formal with only minimal touch-ups.
We hand-select grades with balanced roots, sturdy leaders, and dense branching, which translates to faster establishment and cleaner lines in the landscape. Most thrive in full sun with average, well-drained soils, and many exhibit notable deer resistance compared with other evergreens—an important advantage in suburban corridors.
Arborvitae are also landscape chameleons: plant as uniform rows for classic hedges, stagger in drifts to soften property edges, or punctuate beds with columnar forms as evergreen exclamation points. However you use them, they give you instant polish and four-season color.
Growth Habits & Seasonal Interest of Arborvitae Trees
Green Giant–type arborvitae develop a broad, pyramidal form with strong, feathery sprays and rapid juvenile growth, making them ideal for tall screening and windbreaks. Emerald Green (Smaragd) stays narrow and symmetrical—perfect for tight side yards, foundation flanks, or formal pairings at entries. DeGroot’s Spire is even slimmer and more vertical, delivering height where width is limited, while Nigra offers a deep, glossy green that holds color beautifully in winter.
Foliage is the star: flat, aromatic scales appear lush and refined up close, while at a distance, they blend into a seamless green wall. In cold climates, some cultivars bronze lightly in winter before flushing fresh in spring—an entirely normal response that adds seasonal nuance.
As living architecture, arborvitae provide evergreen backdrops for flowering trees, hydrangeas, and perennials—making color pop and simplifying bed design. Their year-round presence anchors patios and poolscapes when deciduous plants are bare.
Landscape Uses & Functional Benefits
Privacy & Wind Control: Build a living fence to block views, calm wind, and buffer road noise. For maximum coverage, stagger two rows in a zig-zag.
Space-Saving Columns: Use Emerald Green or American Pillar where a 2–4 ft footprint is all you can spare along drives, townhome lots, or tight lot lines.
Framework & Winter Bones: Frame entrances, screen utilities/AC units, or create evergreen rooms that keep structure when perennials go dormant.
Design Flexibility: Mix heights—Green Giant on the back line, Nigra/Emerald Green mid-bed, and dwarf/rounded thujas as foreground accents—for depth and scale.
Beyond aesthetics, arborvitae reduce heat and glare, catch drifting snow, and provide winter refuge for birds. Properly placed, they can also protect patios and pools from prevailing winds, making outdoor spaces more comfortable.
Maintenance & Durability Advantages
Planting: Site in full sun (6–8+ hrs) with well-drained soil. Dig a hole 2× as wide as the root ball, set the root flare at or slightly above grade, backfill with native soil (avoid heavy amendment pockets), water deeply, and mulch 2–3"—pulled back from the trunk.
Watering & Feeding: Keep soil evenly moist the first growing season—deep, infrequent soaks are best. Once established, arborvitae are moderately drought-tolerant but appreciate moisture during heat waves. Feed lightly in early spring with a slow-release evergreen fertilizer if vigor lags.
Pruning & Care: Minimal pruning is required—shear or hand-clip lightly after the spring flush to maintain the line and density. Avoid cutting back into old, leafless wood; shape while green. In heavy snow zones, burlap wrap or soft ties can prevent splaying on narrow columns. For salty roads, add a berm or barrier planting of Arborvitae to reduce salt spray.
Spacing Arborvitaes (quick guide):
Green Giant / large pyramidal types: plant 8–12 ft on center for a seamless screen.
Emerald Green / Nigra (narrow forms): 3–5 ft on center, depending on how fast you want them to fill in.
DeGroot’s Spire / ultra-narrow forms: 2.5–4 ft on center for a tight columnar hedge.