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Junior Giant Arborvitae
Thuja x ‘Junior Giant’ PP31,297p2
Junior Giant Arborvitae is a compact, fast-growing evergreen perfect for creating privacy screens and windbreaks in smaller spaces. Its dense, year-round green foliage is low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant, making it an ideal choice for residential landscapes.
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Junior Giant Arborvitae (Thuja plicata 'Junior Giant') is a versatile, fast-growing evergreen tree perfect for creating privacy screens and windbreaks or as a striking focal point in any landscape. With its lush, dense foliage and uniform, upright growth habit, this compact version of the traditional Giant Arborvitae grows to a manageable height of 15-20 feet, making it ideal for smaller gardens or tight spaces. Its rich green foliage retains its vibrant color year-round, offering a stunning backdrop to your landscape while also providing excellent coverage for privacy and noise reduction.
In addition to its beauty, Junior Giant Arborvitae is highly adaptable and low-maintenance. This hardy tree thrives in full sun to partial shade and tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, from clay to sandy soils, as long as they are well-drained. Once established, Junior Giant Arborvitae is drought-tolerant and requires minimal care, making it a perfect option for homeowners seeking an easy-care tree that delivers both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits. Its dense, pyramidal shape rarely needs pruning, and its deer-resistant nature adds to its low-maintenance appeal.
Whether used in formal hedges, as a natural screen, or as a solitary specimen, Junior Giant Arborvitae is an excellent choice for adding year-round greenery and structure to your garden. Its moderate size makes it suitable for residential landscapes, while its fast growth rate ensures that you'll have a beautiful, lush privacy hedge or windbreak in just a few years. For gardeners seeking a versatile, easy-care evergreen with lasting visual impact, Junior Giant Arborvitae is an ideal solution.
| Hardiness Zone: | 5-8 |
|---|---|
| Mature Height: | 15-20 Feet |
| Mature Width: | 3-5 Feet |
| Sunlight: | Full sun |
| Foliage color: | Dark green |
| Soil Conditions: | Any type of soil |
| Water Requirements: | Water until established |
| Growth Rate: | 3-5 Feet per year |
How to Care for Junior Giant Arborvitae
Be sure to read about the recommended care instructions to keep this plant healthy and thriving for years to come!
How Do I Plant Junior Giant Arborvitae?
To plant your Junior Giant Arborvitae, begin by selecting a location that receives full sun to partial shade, as this evergreen thrives with at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. The soil should be well-drained, so avoid areas where water tends to pool. Start by digging a hole twice as wide and as deep as the root ball to allow the roots to spread easily. Place the plant in the hole, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding soil. Backfill with a mix of native soil and compost to promote healthy root growth, and water thoroughly after planting to help settle the soil. For hedges or privacy screens, space your Junior Giant Arborvitae trees about 5-6 feet apart to allow them room to grow and fill in. After planting, apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base of the tree to retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and prevent weed growth, while keeping the mulch a few inches away from the trunk to prevent rot. Water regularly during the first growing season to establish a strong root system. Once established, this low-maintenance tree becomes drought-tolerant, making it a perfect choice for creating a lush, green privacy barrier with minimal care.
How to Fertilize Junior Giant Arborvitae?
To fertilize your Junior Giant Arborvitae, it’s best to apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring before new growth begins. A 10-10-10 or 12-4-8 formulation works well, providing essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that promote strong root development and lush green foliage. Spread the fertilizer evenly around the base of the tree, extending slightly beyond the drip line, and water thoroughly afterward to help the nutrients absorb into the soil. This annual feeding helps your Junior Giant Arborvitae maintain its fast growth rate and vibrant color throughout the growing season. If your Junior Giant Arborvitae is planted in nutrient-poor soil, you may want to supplement with organic compost or well-rotted manure, which can improve soil quality and provide additional nutrients. Be careful not to over-fertilize, as this can lead to excessive growth and weaken the tree's overall health. A light application of fertilizer once a year is usually sufficient to keep your Junior Giant Arborvitae healthy and thriving. With proper fertilization, this hardy evergreen will continue to grow into a dense, beautiful privacy screen or focal point in your landscape.
How To Water Junior Giant Arborvitae?
When watering your Junior Giant Arborvitae, it's essential to establish a consistent routine, especially during the first growing season. Water deeply 1-2 times per week, ensuring that the soil stays evenly moist but not waterlogged. Deep watering encourages strong root development, helping the tree establish itself more quickly. During hot or dry periods, you may need to water more frequently, but always check the top few inches of soil before watering to ensure it has dried out slightly between waterings. Applying a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base of the tree will help retain moisture and reduce the need for frequent watering. Once your Junior Giant Arborvitae is established, typically after the first year, it becomes more drought-tolerant and requires less frequent watering. During the summer months or dry spells, a deep watering every 7-10 days should be sufficient. Be mindful of overwatering, as too much moisture can lead to root rot or other issues. Proper watering practices will promote healthy growth, vibrant green foliage, and a sturdy structure, ensuring that your Junior Giant Arborvitae continues to thrive as a beautiful privacy screen or focal point in your landscape.
How To Prune Junior Giant Arborvitae?
Pruning Junior Giant Arborvitae is crucial for maintaining its dense, pyramidal shape and promoting healthy, vigorous growth. The best time to prune Junior Giant Arborvitae is in late winter or early spring before new growth starts, as this helps the tree recover quickly and encourages a fuller appearance during the growing season. Begin by using clean, sharp pruning shears to remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches to improve the overall health of the tree and reduce the risk of pests. Focus on light trimming to maintain the natural form of the Arborvitae, making sure to cut back any branches that are growing outside of the desired shape, but avoid cutting too deeply into the older, brown wood, as Arborvitae trees do not regenerate well from old wood. Throughout the growing season, minor pruning can be done to control the size and maintain the Junior Giant Arborvitae's uniform shape, especially if it is being used for a hedge or privacy screen. When trimming, aim to remove no more than one-third of the green growth to avoid stressing the plant and to ensure it retains a lush, vibrant appearance. Be careful not to over-prune, as this can lead to sparse growth and uneven sections. By following these pruning practices, you will keep your Junior Giant Arborvitae healthy, compact, and attractive, providing year-round color and texture to your landscape while enhancing privacy or creating a beautiful garden border.
Additional Information
If you’ve had problems with the Leyland Cypress or Emerald Green Arborvitae in your yard, this plant is a great replacement. The smooth, delicate, dark-green foliage emits a pleasantly sweet aroma when crushed. What’s the point in planting a beautiful tree if you have to cover it up with burlap or deer netting every winter? This tree does just fine without those ugly protections.
Junior Giant Arborvitae trees are known for their ease of care and low maintenance, which makes them so popular. This class of trees is a perfect choice for any homeowner who has a busy or inconsistent schedule but still wants to enjoy the beauty and benefits of live plants.
How to create a Privacy Hedge with Junior Giant Arborvitae
If the goal is to create a privacy screen around your home or property, we recommend planting Junior Giant Arborvitaes in a line with about 8 feet apart from each other to create quick privacy. However, they can be planted at 10 to 12-foot intervals if you don’t mind waiting a bit for privacy; planting them closer together will reach the privacy goal faster.
Planting a Sound Buffer or Wind Break with Junior Giant Arborvitae
Junior Giant Arborvitae trees make an excellent windbreak, standing up to the strongest of winter winds, due to its substantial root system. Windbreaks are a perfect way to reduce your heating bills in the winter time by blocking the cold winds that sneak into the house and create a cold environment. When planted in a staggered row, this tree can also act as a sound buffer and reduce noise coming from busy streets, loud neighbors, or anything else that can be disturbing your peace.
When creating a windbreak or privacy hedge, it's essential to know how far apart to space your plants. Remember, it is a pyramidal tree and can reach up to 60 feet tall and up to 18 feet wide so it’s important to give Junior Giant Arborvitae trees ample room to expand allowing for symmetrical growth.
Plant one row of trees with another row 6 to 8 feet in front of the first row filling in the gaps between the plants. This method creates instant privacy and will virtually eliminate unwanted sounds or wind once it fills in. See the diagram below for an example of the staggered planting pattern:
Junior Giant Arborvitae
