fastPrivacy TreeWindbreak

Should You Plant Green Giant Arborvitae?

Thuja x 'Green Giant'

Best for homeowners who want screening faster than a slow ornamental can provide, without jumping straight to an oversized shade tree.

Green Giant Arborvitae is most useful when it is planted with a job to do: screening a property line, softening a fence, or building separation from a nearby neighbor.

Where It Excels

Green Giant Arborvitae excels where you need a greener edge and a sense of enclosure, but still want the planting to read as landscape rather than a hard barrier.

Think Twice If

I would skip Green Giant Arborvitae for shaded side yards or spots tucked under larger trees, because it is much more likely to disappoint there than in open sun.

← Back to all trees

Growth rate

3–4 ft/yr (fast)

Mature height

40–60 ft

Mature spread

12–18 ft

USDA zones

5–8

Height Timeline

How tall will it be when this yard actually has to live with it?

This table shows the estimated height at a few practical checkpoints, based on the current growth-rate estimate and capped at the tree's mature height.

10-Year Check-In

30 ft–40 ft

Useful if you are planning around resale, sightlines, or future shade.

Checkpoint	Estimated height
5 years	15 ft–20 ft
10 years	30 ft–40 ft
20 years	40 ft–60 ft
30 years	40 ft–60 ft
40 years	40 ft–60 ft
At maturity	40 ft–60 ft

What Growth Looks Like in a Real Yard

Green Giant Arborvitae typically puts on about 3–4 feet per year in decent conditions, which is why the 10-year question matters more than the label alone. In practical terms, that points to roughly 30–40 feet of height within a decade.

That quicker pace is useful when you need visible progress, but it is still only valuable if the planting site can handle the mature tree.

Green Giant Arborvitae is a better choice on draining sites than on wet, heavy ground, so the planting hole matters more here than the nursery tag will usually admit.

How we built the estimate

For Green Giant Arborvitae, we pulled together published growth notes from plant references and gardening sources, then reduced them to a working range of 3–4 ft/yr. That range reflects how this tree is typically described in the literature, not a single nursery claim or one idealized number. We currently have 2 growth notes in the mix, including 1 from stronger source.

Typical yearly growth: 3–4 ft/yr (fast).

Our working estimate is based on published growth notes gathered across plant references and gardening sources.

Want to see where this number came from?

NC State Extension

3–4 ft/yr

“This tree can grow 3 to 4 feet per year”

Open source

Notes we did not use (1)

NC State Extension

“Growth Rate: - Rapid”

Left out because Qualitative-only evidence.

Growing conditions

Quick reference for the basic site fit, followed by the limitation that matters most before you plant.

Growth rate

3–4 ft/yr (fast)

Mature height

40–60 ft

Mature spread

12–18 ft

USDA zones

5–8

Sunlight

full sun; partial shade

Soil

Good Drainage

Leaf type

—

Watch Out

Green Giant Arborvitae is a better choice on draining sites than on wet, heavy ground, so the planting hole matters more here than the nursery tag will usually admit.

Sources

Direct references used to compile the fields shown on this page.

plants.ces.ncsu.edu

If You're Considering Green Giant Arborvitae, Also Look At...

These are not just lookalikes. They overlap on climate or growth profile, but each solves a slightly different homeowner problem.

American Pillar Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis 'American Pillar'

fast

3 ft/yr (fast) · 20–30 ft tall · Zones 3–8

Best for: privacy · windbreak

American Pillar Arborvitae is the more compact alternative if you like this category of tree but need something less imposing at maturity.

Shared zones: 5–8 · Similar growth pace

Eastern White Pine

Pinus strobus

fast

2–3 ft/yr (fast) · 50–80 ft tall · Zones 3–8

Best for: privacy · windbreak

Eastern White Pine is worth comparing if you want the same general fit but with more eventual scale and canopy.

Shared zones: 5–8 · Similar growth pace

Hybrid Poplar

Populus deltoides x nigra

fast

2–3 ft/yr (fast) · 40–60 ft tall · Zones 3–9

Best for: privacy · windbreak

Hybrid Poplar is a close climate and growth-rate match, so the decision usually comes down to habit, size, and the role you need the tree to play.

Shared zones: 5–8 · Similar growth pace

Dawn Redwood

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

fast

2–3 ft/yr (fast) · 70–100 ft tall · Zones 4–8

Best for: shade · privacy

Dawn Redwood is worth comparing if you want the same general fit but with more eventual scale and canopy.

Shared zones: 5–8 · Similar growth pace

Eastern Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 30–40 ft tall · Zones 2–9

Best for: privacy · windbreak

Eastern Red Cedar is the more compact alternative if you like this category of tree but need something less imposing at maturity.

Shared zones: 5–8

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd'

moderate

1–2 ft/yr (moderate) · 10–15 ft tall · Zones 3–8

Best for: privacy · windbreak

Emerald Green Arborvitae is the more compact alternative if you like this category of tree but need something less imposing at maturity.

Shared zones: 5–8