how fast do emerald green arborvitae grow
Emerald Green arborvitae are considered moderate growers, typically putting on about 6–12 inches of height per year once established, with many guides and real‑world gardeners reporting roughly 1–2 feet of annual growth in good conditions.
Quick Scoop
- Average growth rate:
- Common estimate: 6–12 inches per year after they’re established.
* Many nurseries and gardeners round this up to about 1–2 feet per year in good soil, full sun, and with proper care.
- Time to mature size:
- Typically 10–15 years to reach about 10–15 feet tall and 3–4 feet wide.
- Early years are slower:
- First 1–2 years often look “stalled” because the plant is focusing on roots, then vertical growth speeds up later.
- Real‑life example:
- One gardener documented trees going from about 5 feet to around 8 feet in 2 years in full sun, roughly 1.5 feet per year.
What affects how fast they grow?
- Sun: They grow fastest in full sun; shade will slow them down noticeably.
- Water: Regular deep watering the first year or two, then about once a week in dry spells, helps them hit that upper growth range.
- Soil and fertilizer:
- Prefer well‑drained, not soggy soil and do fine in basic (not highly acidic) conditions.
* A balanced or general‑purpose fertilizer (like 10‑10‑10 or an all‑purpose plant‑tone once a season) can help if growth seems sparse.
- Climate: They’re hardy and can handle cold down to about −40°F and also heat and some drought once established, but extreme stress can slow growth.
How they compare to other arborvitae (for context)
| Variety | Typical annual growth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emerald Green | About 1–2 ft/year in good conditions. | [7][3][5]Great for neat, medium‑tall hedges; 10–15 ft tall long‑term. | [9][1]
| Green Giant | Often 3–5 ft/year once established. | [3]Much faster; better if you want a tall screen quickly. |
| Slow/compact types | Sometimes under 1 ft/year. | [3]Used as small accent shrubs rather than privacy screens. |
A quick “growth story”
Imagine you plant a row of 4–5 foot Emerald Greens along a fence this spring.
For the first year, they “sleep”: maybe just a few inches of visible growth
while the roots establish.
By years 2–3, they “leap”: you start seeing closer to 8–12 inches, sometimes up to about 18 inches a year if you’re giving them sun, water, and a bit of fertilizer.
By around year 5–7, that once‑see‑through fence line now looks like a solid green wall at 8–12 feet tall in many suburban yards.
In forum and Reddit discussions, people often worry their Emerald Greens are “very slow,” but others point out that 1–2 feet per year is normal for this variety and that faster privacy screens usually come from Green Giants or similar fast growers.
Latest “forum discussion” style take (2023–2025)
- Many recent YouTube and forum posts emphasize:
- Don’t panic if you see almost no growth in year one; they’re building roots.
* Consistent watering and not over‑pruning tips will help them hit that 6–12 inch range.
* Gardeners in full sun with decent soil are getting close to 1.5–2 feet per year once the plants settle in.
- A recurring theme: if you want a really fast screen and don’t mind a bigger tree, people often recommend Green Giant instead because Emerald Green trades a bit of speed for a tidier, smaller final size.
Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
