{"product_id":"american-arborvitae-white-cedar","title":"American Arborvitae (White Cedar)","description":"\u003ch1\u003eMinnesota's Native Evergreen for Hedges, Screens, and Windbreaks\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican Arborvitae (\u003cem\u003eThuja occidentalis\u003c\/em\u003e), also known as Eastern White Cedar, is the wild parent of nearly every garden arborvitae - and a tough, adaptable evergreen in its own right. Native to Minnesota's swamps, ridges, and shorelines, it forms a dense pyramid 20-40 feet tall and thrives where other conifers struggle. An economical, fast choice for big hedges, rural screens, and windbreaks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAmerican Arborvitae Plant Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAttribute\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cem\u003eThuja occidentalis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Names\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAmerican Arborvitae, Eastern White Cedar, Northern White Cedar\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMature Height\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20-40 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMature Width\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8-15 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrowth Rate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate - 12-18 inches per year\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSun\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun to part shade (4+ hours)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate; water deeply through the first two seasons.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUSDA Zones\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3-7 (Twin Cities is zone 4b-5a)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHighly adaptable; thrives in moist to wet soils and tolerates Minnesota clay-loam.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFoliage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvergreen - flat, scaled sprays, green to bronze-green in winter\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter Hardiness\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReliable to -40F.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeer Resistance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLow - deer browse arborvitae; protect with fencing or repellent the first 2-3 winters.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNative Status\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNative to Minnesota and the Great Lakes region\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAmerican Arborvitae Uses in Minnesota Landscapes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTall Privacy Screens and Hedges\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican Arborvitae is the classic Minnesota privacy plant — dense, evergreen, and reaching 20 to 40 feet tall. Planted 4 to 6 feet apart it forms a solid screen in a few seasons; a 40-foot back line takes roughly 8 to 10 plants. It's the go-to for blocking views and street noise in Maple Grove, Woodbury, and Plymouth. One honest caveat for western suburbs: deer browse arborvitae heavily, so see the deer note below before planting in high-pressure areas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWindbreaks and Wet, Low Spots\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike most evergreens, American Arborvitae actually thrives in moist to wet soil, which makes it ideal for the low, soggy corners and drainage swales where a spruce or juniper would rot. As a Minnesota native (Eastern White Cedar) it's perfectly suited to a windbreak along an open property line or a planting in a damp rain-garden edge in Eden Prairie or Lakeville.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eNative Plantings and Shade Tolerance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThuja occidentalis is native to Minnesota, so it fits naturalized and heritage plantings and supports native songbirds with dense winter cover. It also handles part shade — four or more hours of sun — better than nearly any other evergreen, which lets it screen along the north or east side of a house or under high oak canopy in Edina and St. Paul where blue spruces thin out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBest Time to Plant American Arborvitae in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs an evergreen, American Arborvitae establishes best when planted in \u003cstrong\u003elate August through mid-September\u003c\/strong\u003e. The soil is still warm enough to drive root growth, while cooler air eases transplant stress and gives the plant six to eight weeks to settle in before the ground freezes around mid-November. \u003cstrong\u003eSpring (late April through May)\u003c\/strong\u003e is the solid second choice, leaving a full season to root before the first winter. Avoid the heat of midsummer, and never plant after mid-October — evergreens set out too late are prone to winter desiccation before their roots can support them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Plant American Arborvitae\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDig wide, not deep.\u003c\/strong\u003e Make the hole 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball but no deeper — the top of the root ball should sit slightly above grade. In heavy clay, go even wider.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMind the moisture.\u003c\/strong\u003e Arborvitae like consistent moisture, so a low or damp spot is fine — but in pure standing water, mound-plant a few inches high so the crown doesn't sit submerged.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBackfill with amended soil.\u003c\/strong\u003e Mix your native soil with 20 to 30 percent compost to hold moisture and loosen heavy clay; this species rewards a richer backfill than junipers do.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpace for the use.\u003c\/strong\u003e Set plants 4 to 6 feet apart for a privacy screen or hedge, or 8 to 10 feet apart as individual specimens and windbreak rows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBuild a water basin.\u003c\/strong\u003e Form a 3 to 4 inch soil ring around the base to channel water to the roots. Flatten it before winter so ice doesn't collect against the trunk.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMulch with bark.\u003c\/strong\u003e Spread 2 to 3 inches of shredded bark or wood chips, kept 2 inches off the trunk, to lock in the moisture arborvitae crave. Skip gravel mulch — it bakes roots and gives no winter insulation.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWatering American Arborvitae in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFirst Year Watering Schedule\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeeks 1–2: Deep soak every 1 to 2 days (15–25 minutes at a slow trickle).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonth 1–2: Every 2 to 3 days — arborvitae need more consistent moisture than junipers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonth 3–6: Every 4 to 6 days during active growth; don't let the root zone dry out.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStop watering 2 to 3 weeks before the ground freezes (late October in the metro) — then give one last deep soak in early December, especially if fall was dry. This is the single best defense against the winter burn arborvitae are prone to.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAfter Year One\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater deeply through the first two seasons while the plant establishes. After that, American Arborvitae needs supplemental water mainly during dry spells — a deep soak every 7 to 10 days when there's been two-plus weeks without rain. It is far less drought-tolerant than juniper or spruce, so don't let it bake. Always finish with that early-December deep watering before freeze to limit winter browning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill American Arborvitae survive a Minnesota winter?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYes — it's hardy to roughly -40°F (USDA zone 3) and is native to Minnesota, so cold itself is no issue. The two things to manage are winter burn (foliage bronzing from sun and wind on frozen ground, worst on the south and west sides) and snow load, which can splay multi-stem plants. A deep December watering and, in exposed sites, a burlap wind screen the first winter or two go a long way.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs it deer-resistant?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo — this is the big one. Arborvitae are among the deer's favorite winter foods in Minnesota, and an unprotected plant can be stripped bare to browse height by spring, especially in high-pressure western suburbs like Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Chanhassen. If deer visit your yard, plan to protect it: a repellent rotated through winter, a burlap or netting wrap, or fencing. Where deer pressure is severe and you can't protect the plants, a juniper or spruce screen is the safer choice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDoes it handle wet soil and shade?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBetter than almost any other evergreen. American Arborvitae thrives in moist to wet clay-loam — ideal for low spots and drainage edges — and tolerates part shade down to about four hours of sun, so it can screen the shadier, damper sides of a property where spruces and junipers struggle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTechny Arborvitae\u003c\/strong\u003e — a tough, cold-hardy arborvitae that holds green winter color and resists burn better than most.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEmerald Green Arborvitae\u003c\/strong\u003e — the classic narrow upright for tidy formal privacy hedges in tighter spaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHetz Wintergreen Arborvitae\u003c\/strong\u003e — a fast, tall, vigorous selection for quick large screens and windbreaks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMoffat Blue Juniper\u003c\/strong\u003e — a deer-resistant blue evergreen alternative for screens in high deer-pressure yards.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- tt-enriched --\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow Many American Arborvitae Do I Need?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a solid privacy screen, space plants about 5 feet apart (use 4 feet for the fastest fill, 6 feet for a looser line):\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eScreen Length\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePlants Needed (~5 ft spacing)\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e9 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e60 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e13 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e100 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e21 plants\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs individual specimens or in a windbreak row, space plants 8 to 10 feet apart instead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAmerican Arborvitae Season-by-Season in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpring:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fresh green new growth pushes out on the flat sprays as the plant resumes growth.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSummer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Dense green pyramid provides full evergreen screening and cool, shaded cover for songbirds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFall:\u003c\/strong\u003e Holds its green as deciduous neighbors drop; small cones mature on the branches.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWinter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Foliage may take on a bronze-green cast; the dense form blocks wind and gives birds shelter, though deer browse is the main thing to guard against.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAt a Glance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✔ Minnesota Native   ✔ Evergreen   ✔ Shade-Tolerant   ✔ Rain-Garden \/ Wet-Soil\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePlant It With\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/techny-arborvitae\"\u003eTechny Arborvitae\u003c\/a\u003e — a tough, cold-hardy arborvitae that holds green winter color and resists burn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/emerald-green-arborvitae\"\u003eEmerald Green Arborvitae\u003c\/a\u003e — the classic narrow upright for tidy formal privacy hedges in tighter spaces.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/hetz-wintergreen-arborvitae\"\u003eHetz Wintergreen Arborvitae\u003c\/a\u003e — a fast, vigorous selection for quick large screens and windbreaks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/moffat-blue-juniper\"\u003eMoffat Blue Juniper\u003c\/a\u003e — a deer-resistant blue evergreen alternative for high deer-pressure yards.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs American Arborvitae Right for Your Yard?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmerican Arborvitae is ideal for fast, affordable evergreen screening and windbreaks, and it shines in the moist-to-wet, part-shade spots — down to about four hours of sun — where spruces and junipers fail. Not a fit if you have heavy deer pressure and can't protect the plants — deer browse arborvitae hard in winter, so in those yards choose a juniper or spruce screen instead.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Three Timbers Minnesota","offers":[{"title":"#3 Gallon","offer_id":54281670689073,"sku":"GT-E3221AP","price":31.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"8' B\u0026B","offer_id":54281670721841,"sku":"GT-E3227.2","price":397.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0986\/0694\/0465\/files\/american-arborvitae-white-cedar.jpg?v=1779469308","url":"https:\/\/threetimbersmn.com\/products\/american-arborvitae-white-cedar","provider":"Three Timbers Minnesota","version":"1.0","type":"link"}