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Hetz Midget Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis (THU-ya ock-sih-den-TAH-liss)

Family: Cupressaceae Unknown Shrub (3-15 ft)

'Hetz Midget' arborvitae is a woody, needled evergreen shrub in the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It is a cultivar of the American arborvitae. It is widely adaptable to a variety of soil types and is drought and alkaline-soil tolerant. It does not tolerate dry or exposed, windy sites. It grows well in full sun or partial shade. Avoid full shade, though, or the foliage will thin out dramatically. The form is more globose than conical, usually single-trunked, and it slowly reaches 3 to 4 feet tall and slightly wider in diameter. The scale-like foliage is arranged in dense, flat, layered sprays. Its size and naturally rounded form make it ideal for a small space, foundation planting, border, low hedge, cottage, or rock garden. It can also be used as a specimen or in a container to accent a lawn, patio, or pool hardscape. It is tolerant of urban conditions. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Damage from deer browsing can be a serious problem. Leaf miners may damage leaf tips. Bagworms, mealy bugs, scales, and spider mites are occasional visitors. Canker can occasionally be a problem. VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Thuja occidentalis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 35 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Syringa pubescens subsp. pubescens Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot' s Spire' Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Needled Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Needles
Leaf feel
Prickly
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Scale-like leaves are tightly packed in flattened, fan-shaped sprays.
Stem color
Brown/Copper
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Lawn; Patio; Pool/Hardscape; Slope/Bank; Small Space
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Garden for the Blind; Rock Garden
Design feature
Accent; Border; Foundation Planting
Garden tags
#evergreen #conifer #alkaline soils tolerant #accent #foundation planting #partial shade #rock garden #low maintenance #rounded #dense #full sun #hardscape #urban conditions tolerant #border #small spaces #cottage garden
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Pests of Conifers; Juniper Scale Insect; Arborvitae Leafminer; Bagworms in Ornamental Landscapes; Mealybugs
Other problems
White-Tailed Deer
Resistant to
Black Walnut; Drought; Pollution

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.