Emerald Green arborvitae vs Western red cedar

Emerald Green arborvitae and Western red cedar are often considered for the same spot in the garden (hedge, screening, specimen). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Emerald Green arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' 2.5 m × 75 cm after 10 years

This narrow, dense evergreen makes a tidy hedge or a slim privacy screen. Plant it in sun or light partial shade with good drainage, and water…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 20

Western red cedar

Thuja plicata 5 m × 2 m after 10 years

A fast-growing evergreen with glossy dark green, scale-like foliage that smells of pineapple when crushed. For hedges it is mostly planted as the…

Hedge

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 6.50

Key differences

Emerald Green arborvitae: We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. In Central Europe, the jewel beetle Lamprodila festiva can cause severe branch dieback and kill whole plants; larvae beneath the bark make control difficult.
Western red cedar grows larger: 5 m × 2 m after ten years, against 2.5 m × 75 cm for Emerald Green arborvitae (an estimate: sources differ).
Western red cedar grows faster than Emerald Green arborvitae (an estimate: sources differ).
Western red cedar needs less water than Emerald Green arborvitae.
Western red cedar needs less care than Emerald Green arborvitae.

Which one to choose?

Western red cedar is the safer choice: we do not recommend planting Emerald Green arborvitae in most gardens.

Watch out for

Emerald Green arborvitae

In Central Europe, the jewel beetle Lamprodila festiva can cause severe branch dieback and kill whole plants; larvae beneath the bark make control difficult. Hot, dry summers and winter desiccation can cause browning, with stressed plants particularly vulnerable. Fungal shoot blights also occur. Avoid waterlogging; wet snow can split the crown, and plants recover poorly after pruning into old, bare wood. It is not a first-choice plant for a new, long-term hedge in most gardens.

Western red cedar

Western red cedar is not exempt from the problems that are killing white cedar hedges (such as Smaragd) in Central Europe. The juniper jewel beetle (Lamprodila festiva) attacks the whole genus Thuja: its larvae tunnel under the bark, single branches suddenly turn brown and die, and oval exit holes are left in the bark; once the larvae are under the bark there is no effective treatment. Most damage so far has been recorded on white cedar, but the beetle mainly goes for plants weakened by drought, hard pruning or sun-exposed trunks, and western red cedar is distinctly poor at coping with drought and heat, so in hot, dry summers without watering it is just as much at risk. On wet, heavy soil Phytophthora root and collar rot kills it, and the foliage can be browned by cedar leaf blight (Didymascella thujina), especially in dense, damp hedges. Plant it only where the soil stays moist and regular summer watering is possible; a mixed hedge is safer than a long hedge of this one species.

The data side by side

Feature	Emerald Green arborvitae	Western red cedar
Group	Hedge	Hedge
Size after 10 years	2.5 m × 75 cm	5 m × 2 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	3.5–5 m × 1–1.5 m (uncertain)	15–30 m × 4.5–9 m
Growth rate	Slow (uncertain)	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Clay, Acidic, Calcareous
Hardiness	down to -35 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Low (uncertain)	Low
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Water need	High	Medium
Drought tolerance	Low	Low
Maintenance	High	Medium
Planted as a hedge	3 plants per running metre	2 plants per running metre
For dogs	Toxic (uncertain)	Toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Toxic (uncertain)	Toxic (uncertain)
For children	Toxic (uncertain)	Toxic
Typical price	approx. PLN 20	about PLN 6.50 (< 40 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 26, 2026

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