For daily wit & wisdom, get the Almanac newsletter.

How to Plant and Grow Arborvitae Trees

Image Credit:
rlat/Getty Images
Botanical Name
Thuja occidentalis
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
Toxicity
Toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Water Needs
High
Height
6-10 feet
Spread
3-6 feet
Soil pH
Neutral
Alkaline
Special Features
Container-Friendly
Disease-Resistant
Erosion Control
Evergreen
Fragrant
Low Maintenance
Winter Interest
Attracts Songbirds
Resilience
Clay Soil Tolerant
Cold Hardy
Plant Type
Trees
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

If you’re looking for ways to breathe new life into your landscaping and add a bit more privacy to your outdoor space, look no further than arborvitae. Also known as the “tree of life,” arborvitae are rugged plant picks for hedgerows and live fencing, but they make fantastic potted, topiary, and specimen plants too. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to plant, prune, and tend arborvitae in any space, and share tips and tricks to keep your new plantings in tiptop shape!

Planting

When to Plant Arborvitae

Arborvitae need time to settle into gardens before hot summer or cold winter weather sets in. For best results, plant them as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring or in the fall several weeks before the ground freezes.

Where to Plant Arborvitae

Full sun to partial shade locations that receive at least 6 hours of light per day are best. If those locations have rich, well-draining soil that stays consistently moist but not soggy, even better. I find that arborvitae are quite thirsty plants and growing them in locations that can be easily waterred makes plant care so much simpler!

Although arborvitae grow slowly, some varieties can reach up to 60 feet in height, so it’s important to select growing locations where new plantings won’t “get into trouble” with powerlines or nearby plants. 

If you’re growing arborvitae in pots, choose containers that are at least 2 to 3-gallons in size for dwarf varieties, or 20 to 30-gallons in size for taller plants.

How to Plant Arborvitae

Before planting, dig a planting hole that’s about twice as wide as the plant’s root ball and just a little deeper. Then, blend compost or aged manure into the excavated soil to give your new plants a little fuel for future growth.

To plant, carefully remove your arborvitae from its nursery container and gently loosen any encircling roots with your fingers. I’ll sometimes use a small handrack or hori-hori to do this. This done, plant the arborvitae so that the top of the root ball is level with the soil line, backfill the hole with soil, and firm the soil around the base of your plant. 

After planting, deeply water your arborvitae and add a 2-inch layer of wood mulch or pine straw around its base. Make sure to keep the mulch line at least a few inches away from the trunk to avoid issues like rot.

Growing

Watering

Arborvitae can turn brown if they don’t get enough water. To avoid this, water new plantings regularly and keep the soil consistently moist during the plant’s first growing season — arborvitae may need to be watered every 2 to 3 days in their first summer. Once plants are established, you’ll only need to water during periods of prolonged drought.

As with other containerized plants, potted arborvitae will need more frequent watering than plants in the garden. I check mine every day or two in summer and water when the top 2-inches of soil feels dry to the touch.

Fertilizing 

Some plants crave lots of fertilizer, but arborvitae tend to be relatively undemanding in this regard. I simply side-dress my plants with compost once a year in spring. You can also feed them annually with a balanced organic or evergreen-specific fertilizer if that’s easier for you.

Pruning or Maintenance

Newly planted arborvitae can be supported with stakes if needed to reduce the risk of wind damage. As far as pruning goes, arborvitae don’t require much of it for healthy growth; however, you’ll need to prune your plants more aggressively if you’re using them for topiaries or formal hedge rows. 

When pruning, use hedge shears that are good and sharp and prune in early spring before new growth emerges. As you work, move from the bottom of the plant upwards and shorten the branches that need it with a good, crisp cut. 

Dead, damaged, or diseased branches can be pruned away at any time of the year.

Seasonal Care

Arborvitae plants can be sensitive to cold and salt exposure — especially during their first year or two of growth. Wrapping plants with burlap during their first few winters can help avoid browning branches and prevent branch breaks from heavy snowloads too. If your arborvitae are planted near roadways that are often treated with road salt, you may want to add a burlap barrier or other windbreak to reduce salt exposure as well.

Adding mulch around the base of arborvitae can help prevent cold damage, but potted plants will need more winter protection. For these plants, either move pots into a protected area, such as a garage, or insulate the plant pots by burying them in the soil or encasing them in blankets, bubblewrap, or mulch.

If your arborvitae are exposed to a lot of road salt in winter, water the plants deeply in spring to help the excess salt wash away.

Harvesting

When to Harvest

If you want to gather fresh arborvitae branches for holiday decor, do it when the weather is cool and just before you intend to decorate. Select branches from established plants only and avoid harvesting from newly planted arborvitae.

How to Harvest

To harvest arborvitae branches, use sharp sterilized pruners to clip away the branches you’d like to harvest from the interior or lower sections of the plant. Select branches carefully so that you harvest only from unseen areas and don’t impact the overall look of your arborvitae. Don’t cut into bare wood stems as these areas may not regrow if you do.

Storage

After harvesting, place arborvitae stems in water overnight before using them to form garlands or wreaths. You can expect fresh arborvitae to last about 2 to 3 weeks, but branches can last even longer if they’re kept cool outdoors.

Pests and Problems

Common Problems

  • Browning branches are a common issue with arborvitae and can occur if plants are underwatered, exposed to road salt, or develop winter burn from harsh winds and frigid temperatures. Watering regularly, growing plants away from salty areas, and protecting newly planted aborvitae with burlap or other barriers can help you prevent branch browning.
  • Heavy snow loads can weigh arborvitae branches down and potentially cause them to break. Burlap wrappings can prevent this issue, but you can also reduce the risk of broken branches by knocking heavy snow off your arborvitaes as soon as possible.

Common Pests

  • Spider mites are sap-sucking pests that weave spider-like webs over infected plants and cause leaves and needles to look dry and sickly. These pests usually target plants that are already stressed and can be managed with organic insecticidal soap sprays.
  • Deer are particularly fond of arborvitae and often munch on branches during winter. Fencing plants off is your best line of defense, but you can also avoid deer damage by using deterrent sprays and wildlife-safe scares, or by growing arborvitae cultivars that are less appealing to deer, like ‘Green Giant.’

Plant diseases

  • Needle blight is a fungal issue that turns arborvitae needles yellow and then black. This usually occurs due to poor airflow or environmental stress and can often be avoided by spacing arborvitae out properly and ensuring plants are grown in locations that suit their needs.
  • Botrytis twig blight is another fungal problem that causes needles to turn reddish, but may also result in visible mold. As with needle blight, proper spacing and care can reduce the risk of this problem while active issues can be managed by pruning away damaged areas.

Types

The American arborvitae is a tall, dense, native evergreen that commonly reaches heights of 40 to 60-feet. However, there are plenty of arborvitae cultivars to choose from — some of which come in more compact sizes for container use or small spaces!

  • ‘Brandon’ is a conical arborvitae that grows to about 15-feet tall, tolerates a range of soil types, and has mildly fragrant needles.
  • ‘Emerald Green’ is a favorite for hedges thanks to its columnar shape and tendency to keep under 15-feet in height.
  • ‘Hetz Midget’ is a hardy dwarf cultivar that reaches 3 to 4-feet tall and is ideal for containers and foundation plantings.

Wit and Wisdom

  • The name arborvitae is the Latin form of the French l’arbre de vie, which means “tree of life.” This name derived from the fact that arborvitae needles contain loads of vitamin C and were commonly used as a natural remedy by indigenous communities and early settlers.
  • The genus name, Thuja, is from a Greek word for perfume.
  • The oldest living arborvitae is over 1,000 years old.

Shrubs and Trees

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

More Like This

Comments

<span>Phyllis</span> Tue, 06/03/2025 - 19:58
I have been told that the amount of arborvitae that can be cut from the top of the plant is limited. My situation is that I need them to be half the height that they now are. Will it kill them to cut that much off the top?
<span>Margaret Mcvey</span> Mon, 09/01/2025 - 16:00
I have the same question. I know the top won’t grow back and it won’t be pyramid like anymore, but is that a bad thing? Lol I need picks of people that have already done it.🤷🏻‍♀️
<span>Virginia</span> Tue, 04/22/2025 - 23:24
Hello! I'm a new homeowner and would like to use emerald greens to create a privacy fence. However, I was thinking about planting them in large planters but I'm not sure if they'll thrive. I've read contradictory information and now I'm really confused. The area I was thinking about planting them by is fairly close to buried gas and electrical lines. But it's also the perfect area to create the privacy wall. Help!
<span>Joan</span> Sat, 06/15/2024 - 16:43
The little buds on the arborvitae branches, are those seedlings or just new growth on the plant? I wanted to see if I could grow from these buds or is the stem cutting the easiest or best way? Thank you!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 06/17/2024 - 11:24

Hi Joan,

Arborvitaes do produce seeds, typically on older plants, but without seeing exactly what you are talking about it is hard to say what it is you are looking at. If what you are seeing is the early stages of arborvitae cones, they will change from juvenile, greenish-yellow cones to mature (brown) in early fall, at which point they’ll be ready for harvest.

Arborvitae can certainly be grown from seed, but due to genetic variations, you may not end up with the same variety if grown from seed. If you want to produce the same plant as you have now, it is best to take a cutting in late summer or fall and follow the instructions above. It is also a little easier to propagate from cuttings than seeds.

Hope this helps!

 <span>Sharon Brown</span> Tue, 06/11/2024 - 11:50
I recently passed by my old house and noticed the Arborvitae I had planted near a kitchen window was gone. After reading this article, I now know why. I'm sorry poor tree! I didn't know any better back then! You were beautiful!
<span>Catherine</span> Tue, 02/06/2024 - 12:32
Can you transplant a mature arborvitae in the early spring?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 02/07/2024 - 11:02

Hi Catherine,

You can transplant your arborvitae in the spring. Of course, depending on its size and age, transplanting at any time of the year might be tricky. When transplanting in the spring, you will want to wait until the threat of frost has passed and the soil in workable.

Prior to transplant day there are a few steps you will want to take. The day before transplanting, you should water your plant to make sure it is well hydrated before the shock of moving and also dig the transplant hole and fill it with water. When decide to transplant, you should do so under overcast skies or during cooler evening hours. Just before digging your arborvitae from its current location, water it again. Once your arborvitae is in place, make sure you water while filling the hole with dirt and water again after it is fully planted.

Check the plant daily for the first couple of weeks as transplants may require watering every day—if not more. Make sure to check the soil for dryness a few inches below the surface to determine if more water is needed.

 <span>Deerlovingmytrees</span> Thu, 04/27/2023 - 17:37
I have several arborvitae, probably 20 feet tall). The deer have eaten all the green off the bottom several feet. Is it ok to cut that back and just have a bare trunk and the top green?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 05/01/2023 - 13:26

Yes, it is is okay to trim away any dead branches that are the result of the deer damage. But arborvitaes do have the ability to produce new buds and it might be best to wait until early summer to see if anything will grow on the lower branches. If not, you can prune your arborvitae to remove those bare branches. Moving forward, you might want to consider putting up a deterrent (i.e. fencing) around the bottom of your trees to prevent any further damage in the future.