North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: What’s the Difference?

Arborvitae trees are among the best fast-growing, low-maintenance evergreen trees for use as a privacy screen or hedge. If you plant several of them in a row, the thick, dense foliage will fill out in just one or two years to make the perfect living fence.

But which variety of arborvitae should one look for? The most common (and well-loved) arborvitae varieties include the north pole arborvitae and the emerald green arborvitae. While similar, these two varieties do have some differences that make them ideal for specific situations.

Not sure which variety of arborvitae to add to your landscaping plan? In this guide, we’ll explore the key differences between the north pole arborvitae and the emerald green arborvitae, so you can make a more informed decision.

Comparing North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green

The Key Differences Between North Pole Arborvitae and Emerald Green

The north pole arborvitae and the emerald green arborvitae have many similarities. They are different varieties of the same species of tree, and they have almost identical maximum heights and growth rates. They are also very similar to each other in terms of appearance. Outside of these similarities, there are a few differences worth noting.

To start, there are some notable hardiness differences between these two plants. The north pole arborvitae variety can tolerate full sun or partial sun, while the emerald green arborvitae requires full sun only. The north pole variety can thrive in hardiness zones three through seven, while the emerald green variety thrives in zones four through eight.

While these two varieties look quite similar, the north pole arborvitae tends to be slightly darker in hue than the emerald green arborvitae. Just as well, the emerald green variety tends to be slightly slimmer than the north pole arborvitae.

North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: Classification

Both the north pole arborvitae and emerald green arborvitae trees are the same exact species, but different variations or cultivars of that species. The species these two trees share is thuja occidentalis, known more commonly as the American arborvitae or the northern white cedar. Despite the cedar title, thuja occidentalis is not an actual cedar. As a member of the thuja genus, this species is closely related to the Korean thuja, western redcedar, Japanese thuja, and Sichuan thuja.

North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: Description

The north pole arborvitae is a variation of the thuja occidentalis species and a relatively new evergreen variety. This tree’s columnar structure is more slender than the emerald green variety but still has exceptional resilience and preserves its dark green winter foliage color. It can grow at a moderate rate to reach a maximum height and width of around 15 feet and five feet, and it is resistant to winter burn.

The rich, emerald green foliage of the emerald green arborvitae, an extremely thin, pyramidal evergreen, maintains its color all through the winter. It is related to the north pole variant of the same species. When established, this tree tolerates dry spells and does well in the heat and humidity of the southern climate. One of the most well-liked and useful shrubs for tall hedges or screening, it also makes a perfect specimen for topiary. It expands slowly to grow to a height of around 15 feet and a width of about four feet.

North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: Uses

Both the emerald green and north pole arborvitae make wonderful landscaping trees, especially in regions with colder climates where they can flourish. North pole arborvitae is frequently used in landscaping for a variety of purposes, but they are specially employed to emphasize distinct regions and to establish a substantial tree border on a property. Emerald green arborvitae is widely utilized in landscaping, where it is frequently employed as a hedge tree or as a foundation shrub for corner plantings.

North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: Origin

The thuja occidentalis species is native to the eastern portion of Canada and most of the northern and eastern United States.

The predecessors to the north pole arborvitae were developed to become extremely fast-growing arborvitae varieties with slender, columnar structures and were initially created in Pennsylvania in the 1940s. In order to finally create the ‘Art Boe’ arborvitae cultivar, Arthur Boe, the proprietor of the Northstar Nursery in Faribault, Minnesota, harvested seeds from a tree of ‘Hetz Wintergreen‘ in 1998.

The seedling used to create the emerald green arborvitae cultivar was chosen in 1950 by D.T. Poulsen Nursery in Kvistgaard, Denmark. It is sold in the United States under the trade name “emerald green” but is known in Denmark as the “smaragd” arborvitae.

North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: How to Grow

Both the north pole arborvitae and the emerald green arborvitae varieties have the same growth requirements and needs. However, the emerald green variety can do well in full sun or partial sun, while the north pole variety needs full sun to grow as large as possible.

Find a location with well-drained soil that receives full or some sun. Although loamy, deep soil is preferred for arborvitae trees, they may thrive without any further amendments in rocky, dry, and compacted soils of practically any pH. Create a hole that is twice as wide as the plant’s root ball and roughly the same depth as the root ball. Untie the rope holding the burlap around the arborvitae’s trunk or take it out of its container. Use your fingers to disentangle the roots if they appear matted on the borders of the root ball.

Make sure the top of the root ball is level with or just above ground level by standing the tree in the hole and measuring its height. If it is lower, remove the tree from the hole and add more soil until it is the proper height. With your hands or feet, evenly distribute soil around the plant and firmly compact it. To remove any air pockets, deeply water the area around the tree’s base and the edge of the planting hole. To level the ground once more, add more soil to any dips that are visible. In order to keep the soil moist throughout the spring and summer, water the tree frequently and deeply. Every few days, check the soil, and water when the top layer of the soil starts to somewhat dry out.

North Pole Arborvitae vs. Emerald Green: Special Features

Both the north pole arborvitae and the emerald green arborvitae are known for their distinctive trunks. The leaves are scale-like and have a darker green top surface (or deeper green top surface for the emerald green variation) and a lighter lower surface. The leaves become bronze in the winter months. It is a low-maintenance plant that can withstand air pollution, moist locations, black walnut, and clay soil. It thrives in moist, alkaline to neutral, well-drained loams. Dry locations are not acceptable, and exposed, windy locations have to be avoided. The growth forms of each of these cultivars are commonly globular, pyramidal, columnar, or conical. These trees are used as specimens, accents, windbreaks, hedges, and foundation plants. The emerald green arborvitae in particular is simple to transplant.

Both of these varieties of arborvitae are very similar and would work well in most landscaping scenarios. We would recommend the emerald green arborvitae for warmer climates, while the north pole arborvitae would do better in colder climates. Either way, you’ll have a sturdy and dependable tree for years to come.

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © iStock.com/pavelalexeev