Minnesota's Most Distinctive Spiraled Evergreen Specimen

DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'DeGroot's Spire') is the rare ornamental evergreen that doubles as a privacy plant. Its dense, twisting spirals of foliage rise to 15–20 feet on a tight 3–4 foot footprint, giving you sculpture-like architecture that stays evergreen through Minnesota's coldest winters. Reliable to -40°F. Whether you're flanking a Minneapolis front door, anchoring a St. Paul corner bed, or creating a textured screen along a Wayzata driveway, DeGroot's Spire delivers narrow vertical drama you can't get from boring 'Emerald Green' rows.

DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae Plant Details

DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Front-Door and Entry Anchor Plantings

DeGroot's Spire's narrow vertical spirals make it the go-to choice for flanking a front door, garage corner, or formal entry pillar. Pairs of plants 6–8 feet apart create instant architectural symmetry that doesn't need shearing to maintain. The unique spiral texture catches afternoon light beautifully against brick or limestone facades common in 1920s Minneapolis bungalows.

Mixed-Border Vertical Accent

In a perennial border or shrub bed, DeGroot's Spire works as a 'living obelisk' — a vertical exclamation point among lower mounding shrubs and grasses. Pair with Limelight Hydrangea, Karl Foerster Grass, and Boxwood 'Green Velvet' for a four-season composition that holds visual interest from May bloom through January snow.

Privacy Without the Bulk

When you need height for screening but can't sacrifice 8–10 feet of bed depth to a 'Techny' Arborvitae, DeGroot's Spire holds the line at 3–4 feet wide. Space plants 36–42 inches on center for a continuous narrow hedge that fits between a driveway and a property line.

Best Time to Plant DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae in Minnesota

Fall — late August through mid-September — is the ideal planting window for evergreens like DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae. Soil is still warm enough for root development, cool air reduces transplant shock, and the plant gets 6–8 weeks to establish roots before the typical mid-November ground freeze in the Twin Cities. The earlier window matters specifically for evergreens because they continue losing moisture through their needles all winter, so root establishment before freeze is critical.

Spring (late April through May, after ground thaw) is the second-best window — you get a full growing season ahead. Avoid summer planting (June–August) when possible; if you must, water heavily and mulch deeply. Never plant after mid-October or before late April, when frozen ground or frost-heaving will kill new roots.

How to Plant DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae

1. Dig wide, not deep — 2–3x the root ball width, same depth. In heavy clay, dig even wider (3–4x).
2. Check for clay hardpan — if water pools in the hole, break through the clay layer or mound-plant 2–3 inches above grade to improve drainage.
3. Backfill with native soil mixed with 20–30% compost. Don't fill the hole with pure compost — it creates a "container" effect that traps water around the roots.
4. Spacing — 6–8 feet apart for entry pairs and accent groupings; 36–42 inches for narrow continuous hedge.
5. Build a 3–4 inch water basin around the plant to direct water to the roots. Flatten or remove the basin in late October to prevent ice damage over winter.
6. Mulch with 2–3 inches of shredded bark or wood chip mulch, kept 2 inches away from the trunk. Do NOT use gravel mulch — it doesn't insulate roots in Minnesota winters.

Watering DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae in Minnesota

First Year Watering Schedule

• Weeks 1–2: Every 1–2 days, deep and slow (15–25 minutes)
• Month 1–2: Every 3–4 days
• Month 3–6: Every 5–7 days during active growth; less if rainfall is adequate (Minnesota averages roughly 3 inches/month June–August)
• Stop watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in Twin Cities metro). Continued late-fall watering can push tender new growth that gets killed by winter.
• One deep watering in early December is a good idea for evergreens if fall has been dry — it helps the plant resist winter desiccation.

After Year One

• Established DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae rarely needs supplemental water. Water deeply during droughts (2+ weeks of no rain combined with temps above 80°F).
• Soak to 6–8 inches depth, every 7–14 days during dry spells. Let natural rainfall do the rest.

Drip Irrigation in Minnesota

Drip works well for DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae if your beds already have a system. Place emitters 12–18 inches from the trunk. Always blow out lines and shut off the timer by early October — frozen drip lines split.

Will DeGroot's Spire survive a Minnesota winter?

Yes — rated to USDA zone 3, hardier than the entire Twin Cities metro (zone 4b–5a). No burlap wrap needed for established plants. First-year plants benefit from a thick mulch ring to prevent frost-heaving.

Does the spiral form get loose or floppy?

Not in full sun. In shadier sites the spirals can open up and growth becomes leggier. For the tight, sculpted look most buyers want, plant where it gets 6+ hours of direct sun. A single light shearing every 2–3 years in late spring helps maintain the form if needed.

Will deer eat it?

Deer browse all arborvitae in winter when food is scarce. Protect first-year plants with snow fence or deer netting, especially in western suburbs (Minnetonka, Wayzata, Chanhassen). Established plants over 5 feet usually keep their upper canopy intact.

How does DeGroot's Spire compare to 'Holmstrup' or other narrow arborvitae?

'Holmstrup' is similar height (10–15 ft) and hardiness but has straight, conventional foliage — no spiral texture. DeGroot's Spire is the choice when you want sculptural ornament; 'Holmstrup' is the choice when you want plain dense privacy. Both grow at similar rates.

How fast does it grow?

Slow to moderate — 6–12 inches per year in Minnesota. A 10-gallon plant (~5–6 ft tall at purchase) reaches mature 15–20 ft in 10–15 years. Plant near final size if you want the look immediately.

You May Also Like

• Boxwood 'Green Velvet' — Low globe form anchors the base of DeGroot's Spire's vertical line.
• Karl Foerster Grass — Vertical grass plumes echo the spiral form in a softer, deciduous texture.
• Limelight Hydrangea — Lime-green summer blooms against DeGroot's Spire's dark green spirals.
• Hetz Midget Arborvitae — Dwarf globe companion for layered foundation plantings.

How Many DeGroot's Spire Do I Need?

For a continuous narrow hedge, space DeGroot's Spire 3–3.5 ft on center (mature width 3–4 ft):

As an ornament, plant a single spire as a living obelisk in a bed, or a pair 6–8 ft apart flanking a door or garage corner.

DeGroot's Spire Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Fresh bright-green growth tips every twisted spray, sharpening the spiral texture.
• Summer: Dense, sculptural green column — the twisting foliage catches afternoon light in a way no straight-foliaged arborvitae can.
• Fall: Holds deep green as beds go dormant, becoming the structural anchor of the foundation planting.
• Winter: Evergreen spirals against snow — its narrow profile sheds snow loads well, and the color stays good through -40°F cold.

At a Glance

✔ Minnesota Native   ✔ Evergreen   ✔ Four-Season Interest

Plant It With

• Hetz Midget Arborvitae — a dwarf globe to anchor the base of the vertical line in foundation beds.
• Holmstrup Arborvitae — the straight-foliaged narrow upright for plain dense privacy alongside the sculptural spire.
• Emerald Green Arborvitae — the classic tight hedge column to run between spiral accents.
• Blue Arrow Juniper — a silver-blue vertical that contrasts beautifully with the green spirals.

Is DeGroot's Spire Right for Your Yard?

Choose it if you want sculptural evergreen architecture — entry pairs, living obelisks, or a hedge that fits a 3–4 ft strip — in a full-sun spot in the Twin Cities. It's not a fit for shady sites (the spirals loosen and get leggy) or for unprotected first-year plantings in heavy deer country: plan on netting young plants for a winter or two in the western suburbs.