A Fast, Narrow Green Column for Privacy in Tight Spots

Thin Man Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Thin Man') is a narrow, fast-growing selection that delivers privacy without sprawl. It reaches 10-15 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide, with bright green, feathery foliage that holds color through Minnesota winters. A strong pick for slim screens that need to fill in quickly.

Thin Man Arborvitae Plant Details

Thin Man Arborvitae Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Fast, Narrow Privacy Screens

Thin Man is built for privacy in a hurry: it grows a quick 18 to 24 inches a year while staying just 3 to 4 feet wide, so it screens a tight side yard or property line where a wide arborvitae won't fit. Plant them 2 to 3 feet apart for a solid living wall — a 30-foot run takes about 12 to 15 plants. It's a favorite for close-set lots in Maple Grove, Plymouth, and Woodbury. One caution for western suburbs: deer browse arborvitae heavily, so read the deer note below first.

Vertical Accents and Tight Corners

That slim, upright column also makes a clean vertical accent. Use a single plant to mark a corner or a matched pair to frame an entry or garage in Edina or Wayzata, where Thin Man delivers formal height without the width of a spruce. Its feathery bright green foliage keeps a soft, full look top to bottom.

Part-Shade Screening

Unlike the blue junipers, Thin Man tolerates part shade — about four hours of sun — so it can screen the north or east side of a house or a spot under high tree canopy in Minneapolis and St. Paul where sun-demanding evergreens thin out. It stays denser in more sun but holds up well in dappled light.

Best Time to Plant Thin Man Arborvitae in Minnesota

As an evergreen, Thin Man 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 Thin Man 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 to 3 feet apart for a tight privacy screen, or use single plants as narrow 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 Thin Man 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, Thin Man 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 Thin Man Arborvitae survive a Minnesota winter?

Yes — it's hardy to roughly -40°F (USDA zone 3) and stays green through the cold. The two things to manage on any narrow upright are winter burn (sun and wind drying foliage over frozen ground) and snow load, which can splay a tall thin plant; brushing heavy snow off and a deep December watering both help. In very exposed sites, a burlap wind screen the first winter is worthwhile.

Is it deer-resistant?

No — this is important for a tall, tender arborvitae. Deer favor arborvitae as winter food and will browse Thin Man up to about five feet, 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 you can't protect a screen, a juniper offers comparable privacy with real deer resistance.

How fast and how wide does it get?

Fast — 18 to 24 inches a year — to a mature 10 to 15 feet tall, while staying narrow at just 3 to 4 feet wide. That speed-plus-slimness is the whole point: quick privacy in spaces too tight for a wide evergreen. Space several in a row, since a single plant won't fill a broad gap.

You May Also Like

• Tall Guy Arborvitae — a taller, narrow upright for screening higher walls and second-story views.
• Emerald Green Arborvitae — the classic narrow arborvitae for tidy, formal privacy hedges.
• Techny Arborvitae — a tough, fuller arborvitae for broader screens and windbreaks.
• Hetzii Columnaris Juniper — a deer-resistant narrow green column for high deer-pressure yards.

How Many Thin Man Arborvitae Do I Need?

For a solid fast screen, plant Thin Man 2–3 feet on center (its own planting guide's spacing):

As an accent, use one at a corner or a matched pair at an entry — each column needs only about 4 feet of width at maturity.

Thin Man Arborvitae Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Feathery bright-green new growth launches the fastest season — expect 18–24 inches of height per year.
• Summer: The soft, full column knits together with its neighbors, closing a new screen faster than almost any narrow evergreen.
• Fall: Bright green holds while the deciduous yard empties out, and the young screen gets its final deep waterings before freeze.
• Winter: Stays green through -40°F cold; brush off heavy snow so the slim column doesn't splay, and wrap the first winter on exposed sites.

At a Glance

✔ Minnesota Native   ✔ Shade-Tolerant   ✔ Evergreen   ✔ Four-Season Interest

Plant It With

• Tall Guy Arborvitae — the denser, deeper-green sister upright; mix the two textures along one screen.
• Emerald Green Arborvitae — the classic formal narrow arborvitae for tidy hedge runs.
• Techny Arborvitae — the broad, wind-tough workhorse where the line opens up and you have width.
• Sky Rocket Juniper — a deer-resistant blue-gray column for the most browsed stretches of the yard.

Is Thin Man Arborvitae Right for Your Yard?

Choose it if you need privacy fast in a strip only 3–4 feet wide — it's the quickest of the narrow arborvitae, native-species tough, and happy in full sun to part shade on ordinary Twin Cities clay-loam. Not a fit if you have heavy deer pressure and no plan to protect it: deer treat arborvitae as a winter buffet, so in high-pressure suburbs either commit to repellent and wrap or plant a narrow juniper instead.