Arborvitae; a choice yard border tree
Published 9:05 pm Thursday, July 26, 2012
By Gordon Larson
Yards and garden plants and flowers appreciate a nice backdrop, something that allows them to be the stars of the show. Arborvitae is the perfect selection for that.
A member of the cypress family, they are most common in the eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. The upper Midwest is home to a wide variety of arborvitae. The American arborvitae is native to Minnesota.
Techny (yes, that’s how it’s spelled) arborvitae is a common, hardy specie for almost any soil and provides nice density. It’s used in larger yards as a windbreak, since it grows as high as 30 feet. Pyramidal arborvitae are just what their name suggests, but can be pruned to a more slender shape at their base.
Like most members of the “fir family,” arborvitae do not lose their foliage, which is soft and flat rather than needle-shaped like typical pines. Arborvitae are usually used to create attractive borders for yards, substituting for fencing since they form a nice, decorative privacy screen (besides enhancing the yard decorations).
Two varieties — the Degroots Spire and the Holmstrup — are narrower and grow to 6 to 8 feet in height. The beauty of decorating with arborvitae is their “shape-ability.” Any Google search or yard and garden book yield picture illustrations to give viewers or readers a variety of ideas.
An eye-pleasing smaller species is the Globe arborvitae, smaller and (surprise!) globe-shaped. It is attractive when combined with other decorative greenery or flowers. Arborvitae can be pruned, if desired, but usually require little maintaining to retain their shape. Careful pruning (versus just using hedge trimmers) ensures healthy regrowth or shaping. Horticulturalists recommend that the trimming be done about a quarter inch above a lateral bud and the cut itself should be at a 45-degree angle.
Since mature arborvitae can grow at a rate of 4 feet per year, care must be exercised in locating them too near one another or other larger shrubs and trees. Though arborvitae do well in partial sun, they thrive in full sunlight. They also prefer an alkaline pH (moist) soil. Aluminum sulfate can be added (follow directions carefully) to the soil to maintain proper soil health for the tree or shrub.
Fortunately, they still grow in more neutral, drier soil. Their leaves are tempting to deer, and even rabbits, especially in high snow seasons, where the normal food sources for the animals becomes more difficult to find. A snow fence can help protect the trees from animals during those seasons.
Plant arborvitae wherever you would like to provide attractive background or barriers for your property.
As a lower maintenance tree, they are ideal for either the busy horticulturalist or the average homedweller.
