Emerald Green vs Green Giant Arborvitae: A Comparison for the Mid-Atlantic Region

When it comes to enhancing the beauty of your landscape in the Mid-Atlantic region, choosing the right evergreen trees can make a significant difference. Among the many options available, our customers frequently inquire about the differences between the Emerald Green Arborvitae and the Green Giant Arborvitae. Both offer unique characteristics that can elevate the aesthetics of your garden or property. However, understanding the differences between the Emerald Green vs Green Giant Arborvitae and their best uses locally in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia can help you make an informed decision tailored to your specific needs.

Emerald Green Arborvitae: A Closer Look

The Emerald Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) is a compact, slow-growing, narrow evergreen with vibrant green foliage. Its dense, pyramidal shape is used for small privacy screens and windbreaks or as a focal point in smaller landscapes. In the Mid-Atlantic region, the growth rate for the Emerald Green is 10”-12” a year on the top and 4”-6” on the sides, in optimum conditions. This cultivar typically reaches heights of 10 to 15 feet, with a spread of 3 to 4 feet, making it ideal for narrow spaces or as a border plant. So, from a seedling, it will take 12-18 years for them to reach 10’-15’. Emerald Green Arborvitate requires a minimum of 6 hours of daily sunlight, preferably in full sun but, can tolerate partial shade. Unfortunately, the Emerald Green is NOT deer resistant. It is a favorite food of deer.

One of the standout features of the Emerald Green Arborvitae is its low maintenance requirements. Once established, it is relatively drought-tolerant and resistant to pests and diseases. However, during snow storms, the multiple leaders of the Emerald Green are weighted down and pushed open. Thus destroying your trees. This can be best visualized by imagining a blooming onion appetizer. I have personally seen thousands of snow-damaged Emerald Green Arborvitaes from “Snowmageddon” that hit our region in 2011. Snow-damaged Emerald Green Arborvitaes contributed to making the Green Giant Arborvitae the popular replacement for the Maryland/DC/Virginia/West Virginia areas.

Best Uses for Emerald Green Arborvitae

In the Mid-Atlantic region, particularly in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and West Virginia, the Emerald Green Arborvitae finds numerous applications:

1. Foundation Plantings: Its compact size and tidy growth habit make Emerald Green Arborvitae a popular choice for foundation plantings, adding structure and greenery to the perimeter of buildings.
2. Accent Plant: Planted as a solitary specimen or in small groups, they can serve as a striking focal point in gardens or landscapes. Especially, when surrounded by flowering plants or ornamental grasses.
3. Windbreaks: Due to their compact size, Emerald Green Arborvitae’s ability to be windbreaks is limited. In windy areas, such as coastal regions or open landscapes, planting Emerald Green Arborvitae can, over time, help mitigate some of the wind’s effects and protect more delicate plants. However, this can only happen once significant height is obtained and the trees have grown together.
4. Privacy Hedging: Emerald Green Arborvitaes are more successful south of Richmond, Virginia, since the south receives less snow. They are a good choice for creating smaller privacy screens/hedges along property boundaries or blocking unsightly views. Due to their narrower, columnar shape, it takes more Emerald Green Arborvitaes to fill in an area. They need to be planted closer together than other pyramidal evergreens to achieve a full screen.

Green Giant Arborvitae: A Majestic Choice

In contrast to the compact nature of the Emerald Green Arborvitae, the Green Giant Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata ‘Green Giant’) lives up to its name with its impressive size and rapid growth rate. They can grow up to ~2’-2.5’ a year in Maryland/DC/Virginia/West Virginia. This cultivar can reach towering heights of up to 35 feet or more, with a spread of ~12 feet. An excellent option for larger properties or commercial landscapes. The Green Giant’s growth habit is with a strong central leader enabling them to withstand snow, ice, rains, and winds. Its compact root structure, located centrally around the trunk, allows this tree to withstand strong wind storms that damage other multileader evergreen trees. One of the appealing features is that the Green Giant Arborvitaes are deer resistant.

Despite its substantial size, the Green Giant Arborvitae maintains a pyramidal form, with rich green foliage during the growing season. During the winter, they take on a delightful bronzing hue, providing interest in the landscape. Its tolerance to a wide range of soil conditions and climates, coupled with its resistance to pests and diseases, makes it a robust and reliable choice for landscaping projects.

Best Uses for Green Giant Arborvitae

In the Mid-Atlantic region, where properties are often larger compared to urban environments, the Green Giant Arborvitae offers versatility and grandeur:

1. Privacy Screening and Hedging: With its rapid growth rate and impressive height, Green Giant Arborvitae is an ideal candidate for creating tall privacy screens or hedges to delineate property lines or enclose outdoor living spaces.
2. Windbreaks and Sound Barriers: Planted in rows, Green Giant Arborvitaes effectively buffer against strong winds and reduce noise pollution. Thus providing a sheltered environment for gardens, patios, or outdoor seating areas.
3. Specimen Trees: When given ample space to spread out, Green Giants can stand alone as majestic specimen trees. Commanding attention with their imposing presence and adding vertical interest to landscapes.
4. Commercial Landscapes: Due to their fast growth and low maintenance requirements, they are often chosen for commercial landscaping projects, such as parks, campuses, HOAs, or large estates, where a quick, uniform screen or green backdrop is desired.

Factors to Consider When Deciding

When deciding between these two varieties, we must consider factors such as:

• Deer resistance
• Do you have the available space when they mature?
• What is your required height and width to achieve proper screening or design appearance?
• How soon do you need them to achieve X ft in height/width for optional coverage/appearance?
• Maintenance requirements
• What are your aesthetic preferences
• Do you have access to a water source for irrigation?
• Are utilities located above or below the planting area?
• Do you need to remove existing trees before planting? If so, ensure the roots have been ground out and the chips completely removed from the planting area.

Still have questions?

As you can see, both the Emerald Green Arborvitae and Green Giant Arborvitae offer distinct advantages yet have distinctly different uses in the Mid-Atlantic region. While the Emerald Green Arborvitae excels in compact spaces, providing privacy and structure with its tidy form, the Green Giant Arborvitae impresses with its towering stature and versatility in larger landscapes.

Whether you opt for the Emerald Green or Green Giant, these evergreens can enhance the beauty of your landscape. Visit Pryor’s Nursery to explore our selection of premium quality Green Giant arborvitaes and receive expert guidance to help you make the perfect choice for your landscaping project.