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Nigra, Emerald, and Green Giant Arborvitaes

6 years ago

Size asides, is Dark Green Nigra Arborvitea leaves and density similar to Emerla Green or more like Green Giant? I got a mixed info between the internet and my local nursery. At the nursery, Dark Green Arborvitea leaves and density is more like Green Giant however it’s supposed to be in the same family as the Emerald Green. Since I only get to see very young dark green arborvitae, I can’t tell what it’ll be like once it gets more mature. Can anyone let me know what mature Nigra Arborvitae looks more like? Thanks.

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Comments (4)

Embothrium
6 years ago
It looks like this (scroll down after opening)

http://www.yourgardensanctuary.com/ecological-backyard-landscape-design/

and not like T. occidentalis 'Smaragd' or T. 'Green Giant'.
from_lv thanked Embothrium
Joe Spagoots
6 years ago
Nigra is closer to green giant in density and appearance. Emerald green will always be more dense. Emerald green is more columnar while Nigra is more cone/pyramid shaped.

Thuja occidentalis 'Nigra'
from_lv thanked Joe Spagoots
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Yup. You'll have much better luck with the GG's there than I did up in Z4. Ken's got some real nice plantings on the other side of your state, and even though he might be in a higher hardiness zone than you-not sure without looking-you've got all that lake-effect snow I should think, and that'll be good for them. Just watch for the stray double leader. Doesn't happen a lot, but if you would let one develop, it would be more prone to breakage under snowload. You might even be able to use straight Thuja plicata where you are. I'm not sure GG would be any better for your purposes. +oM
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I love walls of emerald green arborvitae, especially their texture, color, and fullness/density. Here is a pic I took about an hour ago at Muirfield golf course(Memorial tournament). Love the wider spacing, this is gonna be a killer wall in 10+ years(road is to left of bike path, need to focus on putt). Looks like they disregarded the internet, which generally suggests 2’-3’ spacing for wall, when deciding on spacing(check out the dead one). If Jack Nicklaus approves Thuja Occidentalis Smaragd as a privacy screen, then they must be good lol. Id say 21, 5-6 footers for 850 is a good deal. Still small enough to “become one with the ground/established” rather quickly. Even the 10+ footer I planted 5 years ago did good, though the smaller the tree, the quicker they get established. I have seen tiny tots outgrow larger trees on more than one occasion. I didnt believe what people were telling me until I witnessed it. All the $5, 1.5-2 foot Smaragd I planted 4-5 years ago are gettin close to 5’, some might be more. In looking at the pic, and knowing that there are lots of deer here, (some of) these may be getting deer pruned, though just a bit. The right two perhaps.
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some slight winter damage ... probably related to fall planting ... and perhaps not enough water in your warm zone during winter ... there may have also been some shipping damage from grower to your house prior to you getting them .... or worse.. if they were sitting in bog box all summer long ... water deeply and properly.. link below ....letting them near dry in between waterings .. taking into account spring rains ... and when the heat of summer starts building ... the dead stuff can be snipped out ... its not out of the ordinary ... and if you did a bunch... problems with one or two is within the realm of normal .... if it starts looking real bad.. perhaps it would be worth talking about how you planted them etc .. its stressed... its not hungry.. fert is not a response ... ken https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub
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Embothrium
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
As your photo shows material sold as 'Nigra' these days produces a small foliage spray, develops an open habit on many sites. And does not have the vigor of the coarsely foliaged (large leaved), soon tall 'Green Giant'.

The contemporary 'Nigra' also often has a distinctive bluish cast, as though early description(s) of the cultivar as a darker green than usual were instead based in a general impression produced by this feature. And not the variety actually being a deeper green.

Or maybe instead the bluish kind seen now has nothing to do with the original, dark green introduction of a long time ago.

At any rate neither of these other plants on the market today is much like the dense, narrow, rich green 'Smaragd' (emerald or emerald green in Danish). Doubtless the narrowness, density and pleasing coloring of this latter is why it has become so prevalent. With many consumers planting rows of it instead of paying for fencing.
from_lv thanked Embothrium
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
6 years ago
note in the pic above.. they are all single trunk/leader plants ... which is imperative in snow load areas ... you MUST find such stock.. regardless of the name ... if this is an issue ...

convert each name to the latin... then go to a search engine IMAGES page .... to get a flavor of differences ...

ken
from_lv thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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