The Narrow, Bright-Green Privacy Arborvitae for Tight Minnesota Spaces

Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd') is the go-to upright evergreen for narrow privacy screens. It holds a slim, formal pyramid 12-15 feet tall and just 3-4 feet wide, keeping vivid emerald-green color through the coldest Minnesota winters without the bronzing that affects lesser arborvitae. Slow and tidy, it rarely needs shearing.

Emerald Green Arborvitae Plant Details

Emerald Green Arborvitae Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Narrow Privacy Hedges

Emerald Green is the gold-standard privacy hedge for a reason: a uniform, narrow pyramid 12 to 15 feet tall and just 3 to 4 feet wide that lines up into a clean, even wall. Planted 2.5 to 3 feet apart it forms a solid screen — a 30-foot run takes about 10 to 12 plants. It's the most-requested hedge for property lines and backyard privacy in Edina, Plymouth, and Woodbury. One caution for western suburbs: deer browse arborvitae heavily, so read the deer note below.

Formal Accents and Entries

Its naturally tidy, symmetrical form makes Emerald Green a clean choice for formal plantings — flanking an entry, marking the corners of a house, or repeating along a walkway in Wayzata or St. Paul. It holds its shape with little to no shearing, so the formal look stays crisp without constant trimming.

Vivid Color That Resists Bronzing

Unlike many arborvitae that dull to bronze in the cold, Emerald Green (sold in Europe as 'Smaragd,' the word for emerald) holds its vivid green through a Minnesota winter. That means a hedge that still looks fresh and green in February rather than tired and brown — a big part of why it's the benchmark privacy evergreen.

Best Time to Plant Emerald Green Arborvitae in Minnesota

As an evergreen, Emerald Green establishes best when planted in late August through mid-September. 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. Spring (late April through May) 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.

How to Plant Emerald Green Arborvitae

1. Dig wide, not deep. 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.
2. Mind the moisture. Arborvitae like consistent moisture, so a spot that doesn't bake dry is ideal — but avoid standing water; if drainage is poor, mound-plant a few inches high.
3. Backfill with amended soil. 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.
4. Space for the use. Set plants 2.5 to 3 feet apart for a solid privacy hedge, or 4 feet apart for a looser row or as individual accents.
5. Build a water basin. 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.
6. Mulch with bark. 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.

Watering Emerald Green Arborvitae in Minnesota

First Year Watering Schedule

• Weeks 1–2: Deep soak every 1 to 2 days (15–25 minutes at a slow trickle).
• Month 1–2: Every 2 to 3 days — arborvitae need more consistent moisture than junipers.
• Month 3–6: Every 4 to 6 days during active growth; don't let the root zone dry out.
• Stop 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, to limit winter burn.

After Year One

Water deeply through the first two seasons while the hedge establishes. After that, Emerald Green 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 less drought-tolerant than juniper or spruce, so don't let it bake, and always finish with that early-December deep watering before freeze.

Will Emerald Green Arborvitae survive a Minnesota winter?

Yes — it's hardy to roughly -40°F (USDA zone 3) and is prized for holding its vivid green through the cold rather than bronzing. Brush heavy snow off the hedge so the narrow forms don't splay, and give a deep December watering to limit winter burn; in very exposed sites, a burlap wind screen the first winter helps the youngest plants settle in.

Is it deer-resistant?

No — Emerald Green is one of the deer's favorite winter foods in Minnesota, and an unprotected hedge can be browsed bare to about five feet by spring, especially in high-pressure western suburbs like Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Chanhassen. Plan to protect it: a winter repellent rotated through the season, burlap or netting wraps, or fencing. Where deer pressure is severe and a long hedge can't be protected, a juniper screen offers privacy with genuine deer resistance.

How many do I need for a hedge?

Space Emerald Green 2.5 to 3 feet apart on center for a solid screen — about 10 to 12 plants per 30 feet. For a faster-filling or denser wall, lean toward the 2.5-foot spacing; for a looser, more economical row, 3 feet works. Plant in full sun for the densest growth, though it tolerates part shade.

You May Also Like

• Techny Arborvitae — a tougher, more cold- and wind-hardy arborvitae for exposed hedge sites.
• Thin Man Arborvitae — a faster, even narrower upright for quick privacy in tight spaces.
• Hetz Wintergreen Arborvitae — a taller, faster screen for blocking second-story views.
• Hetzii Columnaris Juniper — a deer-resistant narrow green column for high deer-pressure yards.

How Many Emerald Green Arborvitae Do I Need?

For a solid privacy hedge, space plants 2.5–3 feet apart (center to center):

For formal accents, plant pairs flanking an entry or singles at house corners with 4 feet of clearance from walls and walks.

Emerald Green Arborvitae Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Bright new emerald growth tips refresh the whole pyramid as soil warms in May.
• Summer: Dense, flat fan-like sprays hold a crisp formal column with little to no shearing.
• Fall: Color stays vivid green while deciduous neighbors drop; small upright cones appear on mature plants.
• Winter: The headline trait — keeps true emerald color through February with minimal bronzing; brush off heavy snow so columns don't splay.

At a Glance

✔ Evergreen   ✔ Four-Season Interest   ✔ Shade-Tolerant

Plant It With

• Techny Arborvitae — tougher, wind-hardier arborvitae for the exposed end of the same hedge line.
• Thin Man Arborvitae — faster and even narrower where you need quicker privacy in a tighter strip.
• Hetz Wintergreen Arborvitae — taller, faster-growing screen for blocking second-story sightlines.
• Hetzii Columnaris Juniper — deer-resistant green column to substitute where browsing pressure is severe.

Is Emerald Green Arborvitae Right for Your Yard?

Choose Emerald Green if you want a formal, narrow, low-maintenance privacy wall in full sun to part shade with decent moisture — it's the benchmark hedge plant for Twin Cities property lines. Not a fit if you have heavy deer pressure and can't protect it: deer strip arborvitae bare in winter, and on hot, dry, unirrigated sites it browns out where a juniper would shrug.