Sting™ Arborvitae

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

15 - 20 Feet

Mature Spread

1 Foot

Growing Zones

3 to 8

For a space-saving shrub that grows to tree height and stays green all year, you can’t go wrong with Sting Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis). Bred from the native Eastern arborvitae, this thin, tall shrub/tree can stand out as a pencil-thin exclamation point in a landscape or grow as part of a row or border for a year-round privacy or wind screen. This new and versatile evergreen will eventually grow to nearly 20 feet high and about 1.5 feet around. 

Arborvitaes are landscape staples because they typically have aromatic, soft evergreen leaves. They also tend to grow more quickly than most evergreens, helping to achieve height or privacy sooner than conifers. They can grow in most soil types and provide winter interest in USDA zone 3 through 8 landscapes.

Sting Arborvitae Care

When planting Sting Arborvitae, be sure to consider its eventual height and how that will look in your yard. But be sure to place it where you can enjoy its towering green foliage even in winter if stuck indoors. Choose a spot with full or part sun (ideally about 4 to 6 hours a day) for best growth. Water regularly to a depth of about an inch, weekly after planting and during the growing season.

Cut back on watering in winter, but look for signs of underwatering or overwatering (yellow or brown foliage, and dropping needles). The plant needs little pruning, just enough in early spring to help it maintain its natural slim shape and to remove dead foliage or branches. Do not lop the top off your shrub. If you get a heavy snow in winter, brush some of the snow off the branches to prevent damage. Other than that, it needs little care and little to no fertilizing.

Sting Arborvitae Spacing

Arborvitaes are perfect plants to create privacy screens and wind breaks in your landscape. Place them at least 1.5 feet apart, and plant them in a zigzag pattern for a more natural effect.