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Thuja 'Green Giant'

13 years ago

We're considering using Green Giant, maintained at 6'-7' as a screen around a hot tub. It's an exposed location in full sun.

Any opinions on suitability of GG for this application?

Something about dwarfing a tree still troubles me.

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
there are hundreds of posts.. mostly in the conifer forum .. about these conifers .... try the search function within GW ...

that said.. these are incredibly large trees... and your application seems like a very small area ... why would you want to buy a hummer.. and beat it into a 2 seat mini car?????

first.. i dont see how you maintain one at 7 feet ... i see you.. with a ladder.. and a sharp instrument.. trying to kill yourself once or twice a year ... and what is feasible today.. might not be in 10 or 20 years ...

second.. there are dozens of other arbs .. thuja.. that would be much less aggressive.. and better suited to the height you are thinking about .... like emerald green.. aka smargard ....

you might want to try a similar post in the conifer forum for specific suggestions about other types ...

ken
plympton_ma
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks, Ken.

I actually share the same thoughts re: ongoing maintenance. I want to spend my time IN the hot-tub---not pruning the hedge around it.

Landscape designer/plant person suggested GG as a soft, dense screen between a parking area and the spa. Because of the nor'easter snowstorms I get nailed by (in my exposed location), Green Giant was selected due to it's tendency towards a single leader.

That having been said, I've done a bit of reading since I posted the original query, and have only grown more uncertain; having flip-flopped sevsral times between different cultivars. So,I spoke with the horticulturalists at two famous nurseries in these parts and got two totally opposite opinions as to the suitability of GG---ugggh!
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searched the whole web.. eh??? after ten years.. my GG is 20 feet tall ... from a 4 incher planted ... after ten years.. my smargard.. emerald green ... is 6 feet tall from a 4 footer planted ... try googling green giant for it latin name ... and then add: annual growth rate... and then google for emerald green latin.. and add the same.. and you should find.. one grows 2 to 5 feet per year.. and the other 6 inches or so ..... depending on your climate.. you better have a pretty big yard for GG's ... and on either.. INSURE you buy single leader plants ... welcome to GW.. glad to help .. come back often .... ken ps: the latin names are VERY IMPORTANT.. its where you start all searching .... trust me.. i fought them for years.. lol ...
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User
13 years ago
That tree isn't called "Green Giant" for no reason.
Plant an Emerald Green Thuga.
You could buy one in September from a HD store at 6 ft height for about 30.00.
Ask when they take the orders for the Thuga fall trees at your local store, they will tell you.
drrich2
13 years ago
If you get emerald green arb.s, considering personally selecting them to get single leader plants.

Richard.
kimcoco
13 years ago
Richard said it best. We didn't get single leader Emerald Green Arbs as we were clueless, and they looked awful after a terrible winter. We had a row along our fenceline, and the third year we yanked them. They didn't seem to grow very fast either, width was ok, but height didn't change much.

I know there are anti-privet people out there, and I will say there are certain varieties to avoid depending on your zone, but I love my privet hedge. I planted a row of Cheyenne Privets along my patio three years ago - we staggered them for a full screen maybe a foot or so apart...they stood no higher than a foot tall at planting. For every 12 inches they grow cut them back six to create full lush tight growth down to the base, they take to pruning into a hedge very well, offer nice privacy, and this year, third year, they are now exceeding our 4 1/2 foot fence, and have a nice hedge shape. They will probably reach 5 1/2 feet this year at the end of this growing season. They do require hedging several times during the growing season, easy enough to do with a hedge trimmer. There are invasive varieties to avoid - it is best to do the research for your zone.

Another option for a narrow space based on past research (not my personal experience) are Canadian Hemlocks, they also take to pruning into a hedge well, though in my area they are quite pricey. As far as I'm aware, the beetle/borer that kills these has not made it this far yet, and I was told that by the time it does, there will probably be a preventive. If it weren't for the high price tag on these, I'd probably have gone with a row of Hemlocks. Pretty.

I agree, Green Giant probably not the best choice.

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