A Narrow Golden Arborvitae That Glows Through Minnesota Winters

Jantar Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Jantar'), also sold as Amber Gold, is a slim golden column that lights up the landscape. Bright yellow-gold in summer, it deepens to a striking amber-orange in winter. Reaching 10-13 feet tall and just 2-3 feet wide, it brings vertical color to narrow spaces where green arborvitae would look ordinary.

Jantar Arborvitae Plant Details

Jantar Arborvitae Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Narrow Gold Color Accents

Jantar is a rare thing — a slim golden column. Its 2-to-3-foot width and 10-to-13-foot height make it a bright vertical exclamation point that fits where a wide gold shrub never could. Set a single plant where its glow will catch the eye against dark green or brick, or a matched pair to frame an entry in Edina, Wayzata, or Minneapolis. Plant it in full sun to keep the gold rich.

Slim Gold Privacy Screens

Because it stays narrow, Jantar can form a privacy screen that adds color instead of a plain green wall. Planted 2.5 to 3 feet apart it makes a slender, glowing hedge along a tight property line or side yard in Plymouth, Maple Grove, or St. Paul. One caution for western suburbs: deer browse arborvitae heavily, so read the deer note below before screening with it.

Winter Amber Glow

Jantar — Polish for amber — earns its name in the cold months, when the golden-yellow foliage warms to a glowing amber-orange that stands out beautifully against snow. For a landscape that needs warmth and color in a long Minnesota winter, few narrow evergreens deliver this kind of seasonal interest.

Best Time to Plant Jantar Arborvitae in Minnesota

As an evergreen, Jantar 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 Jantar 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. Pick a sunny spot. Jantar needs full sun for its best gold and amber color; in shade it shifts toward green. 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 slim color screen, or use single plants as vertical 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 Jantar 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 plant establishes. After that, Jantar 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 Jantar Arborvitae survive a Minnesota winter?

Yes — it's hardy to roughly -40°F (USDA zone 3), so cold is no concern, and its amber-orange winter color is the variety doing exactly what it should rather than a sign of stress. As with any narrow upright, brush off heavy snow so it doesn't splay and give a deep December watering; in very exposed sites a burlap wind screen the first winter helps keep the color clean.

Is it deer-resistant?

No — deer favor arborvitae as a winter food and will browse Jantar, especially in high-pressure western suburbs like Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Chanhassen. Plan to protect it: a winter repellent rotated through the season, a burlap or netting wrap, or fencing. Where deer pressure is severe and protection isn't practical, a juniper offers a colorful, deer-resistant alternative.

How do I keep the gold and amber color bright?

Give it full sun — at least six hours a day. The gold is richest and the winter amber deepest in strong light; in part shade the foliage greens up and the seasonal color fades. Good sun plus steady moisture keeps Jantar glowing year-round.

You May Also Like

• Golden Globe Arborvitae — a warm-gold globe for the same color in a compact rounded form.
• Lemon Burst Arborvitae — a bright lemon-yellow globe for vivid gold at the front of a bed.
• Thin Man Arborvitae — a fast, narrow green column for slim privacy without the gold.
• Hetzii Columnaris Juniper — a deer-resistant narrow green column for high deer-pressure yards.

How Many Jantar Arborvitae Do I Need?

For a slim golden screen, space Jantar 2.5–3 feet apart:

As an accent, use a single column against dark evergreens or brick, or a matched pair flanking an entry — odd-numbered groups of 3 (3 feet apart) make a glowing vertical cluster.

Jantar Arborvitae Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Fresh bright yellow-gold growth pushes from every spray as the column wakes up.
• Summer: Rich golden-yellow foliage at peak intensity in full sun — a vertical stripe of color against green neighbors.
• Fall: Gold begins warming toward amber as nights cool; the slim silhouette sharpens as perennials die back.
• Winter: The signature show — foliage deepens to glowing amber-orange against the snow, a deliberate trait, not stress.

At a Glance

✔ Evergreen   ✔ Four-Season Interest

Plant It With

• Golden Globe Arborvitae — the same warm gold in a rounded form for the front of the bed.
• Lemon Burst Arborvitae — vivid lemon-yellow globes to echo Jantar's color at ground level.
• Thin Man Arborvitae — a fast green column to alternate with Jantar for a two-tone screen.
• Hetzii Columnaris Juniper — the deer-resistant narrow column for the exposed end of the run.

Is Jantar Arborvitae Right for Your Yard?

Choose Jantar if you have a narrow, full-sun spot — a side yard, entry, or tight property line — and you want year-round color that peaks in winter instead of a plain green wall. It's not a fit for shady sites (the gold fades to green) or for high deer-pressure yards without protection: deer browse arborvitae hard in Minnetonka/Wayzata-type neighborhoods, so wrap or repel it the first few winters, or choose a narrow juniper instead.