The illustrated growing guide
Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis / 'Green Giant'
Family Cupressaceae
Est. zones 3-8
America's privacy fence. Two honest warnings: 'Emerald Green' is a deer buffet, and 'Green Giant' becomes a 50-foot tree — people plant both in the wrong yards weekly.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Moderate water
'EG' slow-moderate growth
Native to North America
From the print shop
Growing arborvitae? Hang it.
Our Evergreens collection carries arborvitae — Thuja occidentalis, print Nº 9, “Arborvitae.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
I
Overview
Will arborvitae suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what arborvitae actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-8Arborvitae at a glance
Common arborvitae problems
- DEER (Thuja occidentalis is deer candy — 'Green Giant' is largely skipped)
- Bagworms
- Spider Mites
- Winter Burn (windy z4-5 sites)
- Root Rot in swamps
II
Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow arborvitae: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate arborvitae
When to spray arborvitae
Growing season. Deer country decision tree: fence it, spray it monthly, or plant 'Green Giant'/spruce instead.
III
The year
What arborvitae asks for, month by month.
The arborvitae year, month by month
PruneWhat each band means
- Prune — shape it now — cuts heal cleanly and structure is visible.
The arborvitae year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar quiet month
- Apr quiet month
- May quiet month
- Jun pruning
- Jul quiet month
- Aug quiet month
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
IV
Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Arborvitae in the garden system
What arborvitae is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesMildly toxic to pets
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
V
Cultivars
Named varieties of arborvitae, ruled as a catalogue.
Best arborvitae varieties & cultivars
'Emerald Green' (the 15-ft privacy column of America); 'Green Giant' (fast, deer-resistant, BIG); 'Techny' (cold-iron)
VI
Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to arborvitaeyet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
VII
Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
VIII
Questions
Arborvitae questions, answered straight.
Is arborvitae safe for kids and pets?
With care. Mildly toxic to pets Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
How do you propagate arborvitae?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
IX
Elsewhere
Where arborvitae sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily