Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Eastern White Cedar

Description:

A narrow and fast growing columnar evergreen tree with dark green foliage that holds its color in winter; makes an excellent articulation tree or tall hedge, hardy and heat tolerant, takes pruning well; best with some sun, protect from drying winds

Ornamental Features

American Pillar Arborvitae is primarily valued in the landscape for its rigidly columnar form. It has dark green evergreen foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage remain dark green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

American Pillar Arborvitae is a multi-stemmed evergreen tree with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

American Pillar Arborvitae is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Vertical Accent
• Hedges/Screening

Planting & Growing

American Pillar Arborvitae will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.