tree

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae

Thuja plicata 'Derakt'

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Sugar And Spice Arborvitae (Thuja plicata 'Derakt') at Bedford Fields

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  12 feet

Spread:  4 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  5b

Other Names:  Western Arborvitae, Western Red Cedar

Brand:  Star Roses and Plants

Description:

A neat, narrow growing, upright evergreen garden shrub with fine textured green foliage on orange-brown stems; doesn't require pruning to maintain its form; very heat tolerant, and a good vertical accent plant for small spaces or mixed borders

Ornamental Features

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive dark green evergreen foliage. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and remain dark green throughout the winter. The shaggy antique red bark and coppery-bronze branches are extremely showy and add significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening
  • General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Sugar And Spice™ Arborvitae will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant will benefit from an application of bonemeal and/or mycorrhizal fertilizer at the time of planting. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Screening  Garden 
Applications
Foliage Color  Plant Form  Bark  Winter Value 
Ornamental Features