Little Giant Eastern Arborvitae Live Plant – Thuja Occidentalis ‘Little Giant’ – 1 Gallon Potted

Overview

The little giant eastern arborvitae is a highly sought-after evergreen shrub, celebrated for its naturally compact, rounded form and vibrant green foliage. This particular variety, Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’, is a slow-growing specimen that brings year-round beauty and structure to any garden space. Unlike larger arborvitae varieties, the little giant eastern arborvitae maintains a manageable size, making it an ideal choice for smaller landscapes, urban gardens, or as a refined accent plant. Its dense growth habit ensures excellent privacy when planted as a hedge, providing a lush, green screen that remains attractive through all seasons. This versatile compact evergreen shrub is shipped as a 1 Gallon potted live plant, ready to be integrated into your outdoor design.

With its rich green leaves that hold their color even in winter, this plant offers consistent visual appeal. It’s a fantastic solution for gardeners looking for a sophisticated yet easy-to-care-for plant. Whether you’re aiming to create a formal border, a natural privacy screen, or simply add a touch of enduring elegance to your yard, the little giant eastern arborvitae is an exceptional choice that will flourish and impress.

Key Benefits

The little giant eastern arborvitae offers numerous advantages that make it a standout choice for various landscaping needs:

• Year-Round Beauty: Its soft, rich green foliage remains vibrant and dense throughout all seasons, providing consistent color and texture to your garden even in winter. This ensures your outdoor space always looks lively and well-maintained.
• Compact & Manageable Size: Typically growing 3-5 feet tall and wide, this compact evergreen shrub is perfect for smaller spaces. It won’t outgrow its welcome, making it suitable for urban gardens or areas with limited room.
• Low Maintenance: The ‘Little Giant’ variety naturally maintains a neat, rounded form, requiring minimal pruning to keep its shape. This makes it an excellent option for busy gardeners seeking a beautiful, yet undemanding, plant.
• Versatile Landscaping Use: Ideal for creating effective privacy hedge plant, attractive foundation plantings, or elegant borders. Its dense growth provides excellent screening, while its tidy appearance enhances any garden design.
• Cold Hardy: This robust plant is cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8, adapting well to a wide range of climates and enduring harsh winter conditions with resilience.
• Pest & Disease Resistant: Known for its tolerance to many garden conditions, the thuja occidentalis little giant is also resistant to most common pests and diseases, ensuring a healthier plant with less intervention.
• Adaptable Soil Preferences: While preferring well-drained, moist, slightly acidic soil, it is adaptable to various soil types, including clay, loam, or sandy soils, as long as drainage is adequate.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care for your little giant eastern arborvitae will ensure a healthy, thriving plant that enhances your landscape for years. This low maintenance arborvitae is quite forgiving, making it a great option for both experienced and novice gardeners. For optimal growth and the most vibrant foliage, plant your arborvitae in a location that receives full sun to partial shade. Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily. While it can tolerate some shade, too little sun may result in less vigorous growth and a sparser appearance. When planting, ensure the soil is well-drained, moist, and slightly acidic. Although adaptable to various soil types, avoid areas where water tends to collect, as this can lead to root rot. Mixing organic matter like compost into heavy clay soils can significantly improve drainage.

Watering is crucial during the establishment period. After planting, water deeply to settle the soil around the roots. For the first growing season, keep the soil consistently moist. Once established, the little giant eastern arborvitae is somewhat drought-tolerant, but it will benefit from occasional deep watering during prolonged dry spells, especially in hotter climates. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around the base of the plant, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature, contributing to the overall health of your compact evergreen shrub. Minimal pruning is needed to maintain its naturally rounded shape, usually just to remove any dead or errant branches. This resilience and ease of care make the thuja occidentalis little giant a gardeners’ favorite.

Size & Details

The little giant eastern arborvitae is a slow-growing, dense evergreen shrub that typically reaches a mature size of 3-5 feet in both height and width. This naturally rounded, compact shape makes it an excellent choice for a variety of garden applications, from specimen plantings to a privacy hedge plant. Each plant is shipped as a healthy 1 Gallon potted live plant, ensuring a strong start in your garden. The foliage is a soft, rich green that maintains its vibrant color throughout the year, adding consistent visual interest. Its slow growth rate means it won’t quickly outgrow its space, and its dense habit provides excellent coverage for screening purposes. This particular ‘Little Giant’ cultivar is known for its robust nature and ability to thrive without extensive care, making it a reliable addition to any landscape. Expect a well-rooted plant ready for transplanting into your garden or a larger container upon arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does the Little Giant Eastern Arborvitae get? A: The little giant eastern arborvitae typically grows to a compact size of 3-5 feet tall and 3-5 feet wide, maintaining a naturally rounded shape. Its slow growth rate helps keep it within these manageable dimensions.
• Q: What size pot does this plant come in? A: This thuja occidentalis little giant is shipped as a healthy 1 Gallon potted live plant, ready for immediate planting in your garden or a larger container.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The little giant eastern arborvitae is an outdoor plant, best suited for landscape use in gardens, as a privacy hedge plant, or in outdoor containers. It is cold-hardy and thrives in various outdoor conditions.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For optimal health and vibrant foliage, the little giant eastern arborvitae requires full sun to partial shade, meaning at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, this is considered a low maintenance arborvitae. It naturally holds its shape and requires minimal pruning. Once established, it is also reasonably drought-tolerant and resistant to many pests and diseases.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your little giant eastern arborvitae will arrive as a healthy, well-rooted live plant in a 1 Gallon pot, carefully packaged to ensure its safe journey.
• Q: Can I use this plant for a privacy hedge? A: Absolutely! The dense, compact growth habit of this compact evergreen shrub makes it an excellent choice for creating effective and beautiful privacy hedges or screens. Plant them 2-3 feet apart for a full hedge.
• Q: When is the best time to plant the Little Giant Eastern Arborvitae? A: The best times to plant are typically in spring or early fall when temperatures are moderate. However, since it arrives potted, it can be planted any time the ground is not frozen.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Yes, the little giant eastern arborvitae is cold-hardy and thrives in USDA Zones 3-8, making it suitable for a wide range of climates and able to withstand cold winter temperatures.
• Q: What type of soil does it prefer? A: It prefers well-drained, moist, and slightly acidic soil but is adaptable to various soil types, including clay, loam, or sandy soils, as long as they drain well.