Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup'
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- THU-ya ock-sih-den-TAH-liss
- Description
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‘Holmstrup’ arborvitae is a woody, needled evergreen shrub in the cypress family (Cupressaceae). It is a cultivar of the American arborvitae, which is native to North America.
This shrub is adaptable to a variety of soil types but prefers moist, well-drained loams. It is not drought tolerant. It grows well in full sun, partial shade, or dappled sunlight. Avoid full shade, though, or the foliage will thin out dramatically.
‘Holmstrup’ arborvitae’s foliage is an attractive deep green with scale-like leaves in dense horizontal sprays that hold their color well through cold winters. The foliage has an attractive fragrance. This shrub is slow growing and will take 10 years to reach 10 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide. The form is a narrow pyramidal shape.
Use this shrub in foundation plantings, as a hedge, or as a focal point in small gardens. It also works well as a lawn planting or as a feature in a winter garden.
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.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 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:
- Garden for the Blind
- Rock Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
