Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- THU-ya ock-sih-den-TAH-liss
- Description
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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.
VIDEO Created by Elizabeth Meyer for "Trees, Shrubs and Conifers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Thuja
- Species:
- occidentalis
- Family:
- Cupressaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans used this plant to prevent scurvy; the sap contains vitamin C. They shared this practice with French settlers, which gave rise to the name arborvitae, meaning tree of life. They also used this plant for canoes.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Wildlife Value:
- Deer browse the foliage, which also provides cover and habitat for birds. Foliage is aromatic.
- Play Value:
- Fragrance
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- 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 To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Seed cones are not showy
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Scale-like dense foliage in vertical sprays
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
