Thuja Arborvitae - Ask Extension
We have a row of Leland Cypress that provide a screen in our back yard that are dying. The Thuja Arborvitae (Green Giant) has been suggested to us as...
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Thuja Arborvitae #445374
Asked March 29, 2018, 12:19 PM EDT
We have a row of Leland Cypress that provide a screen in our back yard that are dying. The Thuja Arborvitae (Green Giant) has been suggested to us as a good option. The area has a southern exposure but has a number of tall oaks and poplar trees that provide some shade on one side. We are wondering if the Green Giant is a good candidate for this space.
Thank you.
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Thuja 'Green Giant' grows best in full sun. You would need a minimum of 4 hours of direct sun in this space for them to grow well, and keep in mind that they can grow to about 20' wide. Some other evergreen choices you might want to consider for screening are hollies (e.g., American holly), Eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana), and Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides). We recommend choosing several different types of plants for a screen, rather than many of one kind. If there is a pest or disease problem in one variety, you risk losing them all at the same time. This publication from Clemson Extension has a good explanation of this and the benefits of mixed screens http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/pdf/hgic1731.pdf. Several plant choices are included in this publication as well.
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