# Any arborvitae experts out there?



## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I ripped out a bunch of overgrown landscaping this past weekend to make way for a new fence that will be installed. In doing so I sacrificed a lot of privacy. I am not trying to replace everything, but I would like to install new fast growing trees to get some privacy back once the fence goes in. I stopped at a few nurseries and the recommendations are what you would expect, arborvitae and leyland cyprus. My question is two fold. Anything else people would recommend? Central NJ, Zone 6b.

Second question. The nurseries in my area want ~$90 each for brand name (Monrovia) emerald arborvitae. Lowes and HD have the same at $50 a pop for each tree. I will be purchasing many of them, so the cost difference is non trivial. Is there any reason to pony up for the Monrovia? The old ones I had were inherited with the house. They had several leaders and had a tendency of getting beaten down by snow storms. I guess my main question is, do the better growers do a better job of setting the tree up for success to not have these issues, or are they literally the same thing....


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## chrismar (May 25, 2017)

I'm not close to an expert, but I do have 9 "Hetz Wintergreen" arborvitae. I got them all from Evergreen Nursery online. I planted them in 2015, they were 18" tall. They're now taller than I am, and I'm 6'2" (74"). They're not quite as full as I'd like them to be, but that's because the deer breached my fence when a tree took out two panels, and they had a feast. I think they'll survive though.

I went with this particular variety because the green giants and emerald green varieties tend to have several leaders and do the snow flop that I am trying to avoid. All of mine all clearly have just 1 leader (so far). The "wintegreen" variety also does better in slight shade, and mine are also covered by a pin oak for a few hours a day.

So, to answer your question, I don't see a reason to get the more expensive name brand. The care is the same, and if one of them does happen to go south it won't leave as much of a sour taste in your mouth if you need to replace it. Oh, and leyland cyprus are "weed trees" IMO. They grow fast, but as a result they have weak root structures and can easily be knocked down by a gusty wind storm (of which we've had more than our fair share of in NJ lately).


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## HoosierLawnGnome (Sep 28, 2017)

I would not call myself an expert either, but I had a row of arbs that were a screen. They grew from a few foot tall to 8 ft tall in 5 years. I highly recommend spraying them for bag worms every year. I skipped a season once and lost several to them.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Thanks guys. @chrismar, I was hoping that would be the answer!


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

I am in zone 6b as well and have 24 emerald and 8 green giant arborvitae. Both serve a certain purpose and size is obviously different between the two. Both are doing well in my climate. Water like crazy the first couple of years.

Steer clear of Leyland Cyprus.


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## NJ-lawn (Jun 25, 2018)

I bought the same exact trees from the same place online as chrismar. I also bought them because they are a single leader tree. My 18 year old 25' emerald greens had some ice/snow damage a few years ago, they split because they have multiple leaders. So I did some research and found the Hetz Wintergreen. They do grow relatively quick. The good thing about planting smaller trees is they establish a root system quicker than a large tree.

About 3 years ago I planted a half dozen emerald greens at 5' tall. I also planted a row of the hetz wintergreen at 18" or so. Today the wintergreen are taller than the emerald green. The only difference is the emerald green is fuller.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

@gm560 emerald green arborvitae are a little more columnar/upright shape than the green giants.

I planted 6 green giants last spring after planting 6 cryptomeria yoshino unsuccessfully in the same spot in fall of '16. I got the green giants from a nursery up here, they were not brand name but everything I get from the nursery always does well. They were 4-5' tall, root ball in burlap sacks (try to find this instead of in buckets, they get root bound very easily) and I believe paid $65 a piece. They are all 7' tall minimum now and growing by the minute this spring. I put in a soaked hose with them last spring, watered every day for the first week, then every other for the next 3-4, then 2x week for the next 2 months. I didn't slow on the water until fall.

The deer will eat the emerald green and arborvitae niger in my area, this spring they even browsed a good bit of my spruce trees, but haven't touched the green giants.

They aren't the most interesting tree to look at, but I couldn't be happier with how quickly they are growing and their low maintenance.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Awesome. Thanks. I agree, not the most interesting tree, but will fill in fast and won't cost a fortune. I do have one other spot where I need 1 well placed evergreen to provide a little screen to the neighbor behind me. I think I will spring for something with a little more interest back there. Last fall, I planted a "Baby Blue Eyes" Blue Spruce in my front and I love it, but I don't think this particular spot in my back yard would work as well. It is a little shadier and a little wetter. Two things Blue Spruce don't like.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Check out cryptomeria yoshino. They are beautiful and do well in areas with a little less sun.

Mine were exposed to A LOT of winter wind, and full sun almost all day in the summer.


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