Holmstrup Arborvitae

Holmstrup Arborvitae is an evergreen conifer in the cypress family native to North America. It is slow-growing and will take 10 years to reach 10 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide. The foliage is attractive with scale-like leaves in dense horizontal sprays that hold their color well through winter. The form is a narrow pyramidal shape.

It is adaptable to various soil types but prefers moist well-drained loams. It is not drought tolerant. Use this tree in foundation plantings, as a hedge, or as a focal point in small gardens. This conifer is browsed by deer.

• Common Name: American arborvitae
• Type: Needled evergreen
• Family: Cupressaceae
• Zone: 3 to 7
• Height: 10.00 to 15.00 feet
• Spread: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
• Bloom Time: Non-flowering
• Bloom Description: Non-flowering
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Water: Medium
• Maintenance: Low
• Suggested Use: Hedge
• Leaf: Evergreen
• Other: Winter Interest
• Tolerate: Clay Soil, Black Walnut, Air Pollution

Ornamental Features

Holmstrup Arborvitae has forest green foliage which emerges light green in spring. The scale-like leaves remain forest green throughout the winter. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes

Holmstrup Arborvitae is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a narrowly upright and columnar growth habit. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. 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.

Holmstrup Arborvitae is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Holmstrup Arborvitae will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn’t necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub 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.