Cedar, Northern White (Arborvitae)

Many people choose Northern white cedar for privacy screening because of its dense growth form, year-round greenery, and responsiveness to shaping. For a low-maintenance hedge, plant trees three feet apart. It is naturally a smaller (30-50′) evergreen tree of coastal bogs and swamps, where it grows in dense stands. It is extremely tolerant of shade and saturated soil, but it will grow faster in well-drained locations with full sun. Its fissured, fibrous bark, thick trunk, and broad base, make it strikingly beautiful. The wood is lightweight and rot-resistant. During harsh winters deer prefer it for both browse and shelter, and it provides important habitat for white-throated sparrows, kinglets, and a variety of warblers.