Emerald Green Arborvitae for Privacy: Size, Growth and Spacing

Many homeowners plant a row of skinny evergreens expecting a solid wall in two years, then wait five. Planting emerald green arborvitae for privacy works beautifully when you know what the shrub actually does: it grows slowly, stays narrow and holds rich green color all year. It is a patient plant, not a quick fix, and spacing, sun and water separate a tidy screen from a gappy row with brown patches.

Here is the short version. This cultivar of eastern arborvitae (sold under the botanical name Thuja occidentalis Smaragd) typically reaches 12 to 15 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide at maturity, growing about 6 to 12 inches per year once established. For a continuous screen, space plants 2.5 to 3 feet apart center to center. Give them full sun to light afternoon shade, steady moisture the first two years, and protection from deer and winter wind.

If you need height fast or have a wide property line to fill, a faster, broader hybrid arborvitae or a mixed hedge may suit you better. A comparison of those alternatives closes out the planting advice.

Is Emerald Green Arborvitae for Privacy the Right Pick?

Emerald green arborvitae privacy screens are popular for good reasons. The plant keeps a dense, upright, pyramidal form without shearing, so a row looks uniform with minimal pruning. Its narrow width fits side yards, along driveways and in townhouse lots where a broad hedge would eat half the space. Foliage stays bright green through winter in most climates instead of turning bronze like some arborvitae types.

It does have limits:

• Slow start: nursery plants 5 to 6 feet tall take three to five years to knit into a solid screen.
• Deer browse: in areas with heavy deer pressure, the lower 5 feet can be stripped bare in one winter.
• Heat and drought: it prefers cool to moderate climates and struggles in hot, dry regions without irrigation.
• Snow load: heavy wet snow can splay multi-stemmed plants open.

Among arborvitae privacy trees, this one is the best balance of narrow footprint and year-round color for small lots in the northern half of the country.

Mature Size, Growth Rate and Light

Expect 12 to 15 feet in height after 15 to 20 years, with some plants reaching 20 feet in ideal conditions. Width rarely exceeds 4 feet. Growth runs about 6 to 12 inches per year after the first season, which is spent mostly on root growth. A 6 foot plant set out this spring may reach 8 to 9 feet in three years.

Sun matters. Six or more hours of direct sun produces the densest foliage. People often ask about arborvitae shade tolerant options: this cultivar handles partial shade, especially afternoon shade in warmer areas, but in deep shade it thins out and opens up, defeating the purpose of a screen. In regions with hot summers, a spot with morning sun and some afternoon relief keeps foliage from scorching.

Climate fit is broad across cooler parts of the US, roughly the cold northern states through the mid-Atlantic and lower Midwest, along with milder parts of the Pacific Northwest. It is a weaker choice in the hot, humid Southeast and the desert Southwest.

Spacing for a Solid Screen

Spacing determines how quickly gaps close and how healthy the row stays over time.

• 2.5 to 3 feet center to center gives a full screen in three to five years with good air movement.
• 2 feet apart closes faster but crowds roots and invites disease and browning inside the row.
• 4 feet apart saves money but leaves gaps for many years and may never fully close.

For extra-dense privacy, plant a staggered double row: two lines about 3 feet apart, with plants offset like a zigzag and 4 to 5 feet apart within each line. Keep the row center 3 to 4 feet from a fence so you can reach the back for care, and at least 5 feet from a house foundation so branches do not rub siding and roots have room. Stay well clear of septic drain fields, underground utility lines and overhead wires.

Tools and Materials

• Spade or shovel, garden fork and tape measure
• String line and stakes for a straight row
• Compost to blend with native soil (not to replace it)
• Shredded hardwood or pine bark mulch
• Soaker hose or drip line
• Burlap or arborvitae tree wrap for winter protection, plus deer netting if needed

How to Plant an Arborvitae Privacy Screen

1. Call 811 before digging. Request utility locates a few business days ahead; buried gas, electric and communication lines often run along property lines exactly where screens go.
2. Lay out the row. Run a string line and mark each planting spot at your chosen spacing.
3. Dig wide, not deep. Make each hole two to three times as wide as the root ball and no deeper than the root ball’s height.
4. Set planting depth. Find the root flare (where the trunk widens into roots) and set it level with or slightly higher than surrounding grade. Planting too deep is the most common cause of decline.
5. Handle the root ball. Remove the container, or cut away twine and fold back natural burlap from the top half. Remove any synthetic burlap or wire baskets as far as possible. Loosen circling roots.
6. Backfill and water. Refill with native soil lightly blended with compost, water halfway through to settle air pockets, then finish filling.
7. Mulch. Spread 2 to 3 inches of mulch over the root zone, keeping it a few inches off the trunk.

Watering, Winter Burn and Deer

Water deeply two or three times a week for the first month, then about once a week through the first two growing seasons, giving roughly 1 inch of water per week including rainfall. Check soil 2 inches down; water when it is dry. A soaker hose along the row makes this easy. Keep watering into late fall until the ground freezes, since well-hydrated evergreens resist winter damage.

Winter burn shows up as brown, dried foliage on the side facing wind or sun. Prevent it with consistent fall watering and, in exposed sites, a burlap screen or breathable tree wrap during the first few winters. Gently brush heavy snow off branches with a broom, pushing upward. Some gardeners tie multi-stemmed plants loosely with soft garden twine before winter to prevent splaying.

Deer favor arborvitae in late winter. Use deer netting, fencing or repellents rotated through the season if browsing is common in your area.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

• Inner browning in fall: normal seasonal needle drop from the interior. No action needed.
• Whole plant browning: usually drought stress, poor drainage or planting too deep. Check soil moisture and root flare depth.
• Bagworms or spider mites: hand-pick bags in late fall or winter; hose off mites in hot, dry weather. Ask a local extension office for treatment guidance if infestations persist.
• Gaps between plants: spacing was too wide or plants were too small. Fill with an extra plant or a shade-tolerant shrub.

Comparing Other Privacy Options

The best arborvitae for privacy depends on the space. A faster, larger hybrid arborvitae can grow 2 to 3 feet a year and reach 40 or more feet tall and 12 to 20 feet wide, ideal for big lots but overwhelming in a narrow side yard. Mixed hedges of holly, juniper and deciduous shrubs resist pests and deer better than a single-species row. In hot climates, other evergreen screening shrubs adapted to heat usually outperform this cultivar.

Costs and When to Hire a Pro

Nursery prices vary by size. Small 3 to 4 foot plants often run $25 to $60 each, 5 to 6 foot plants about $60 to $150, and larger balled-and-burlapped specimens $150 to $300 or more. Professional planting typically adds $50 to $150 per plant, including delivery and mulch. A 20 plant screen planted by a landscaper commonly totals a few thousand dollars.

Hire a landscaper or certified arborist for large balled specimens (they can weigh 200 pounds or more), sites near buried utilities or septic systems, steep slopes, or a row that is failing for unclear reasons.