DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae

DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire')

DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae is made for tight spaces where you still want real evergreen height and privacy. Its slim, upright shape lets you plant between windows, along narrow property lines, or in smaller beds without crowding everything around it. The fine texture reads clean and intentional up close, while the vertical form gives the landscape instant structure from a distance. If you want a tall evergreen screen without the wide footprint, this cultivar is a practical, long-term solution.

Distinctive Features

This selection forms a narrow, columnar to fastigiate evergreen with dense, scale-like sprays that often show a slightly twisted, ropey texture. Foliage is typically medium to dark green through the growing season and can take on bronzy or purplish tones in winter, especially in exposed sites. Left untrimmed, it commonly matures in the range of about 15 to 30 feet tall with a relatively slender spread around 4 to 6 feet, creating a strong vertical silhouette. Small cones may appear, but the real value is its refined texture and upright habit that stays narrow for screening in limited space.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with the best density and form usually in stronger light.
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil is ideal, and it prefers slightly acidic to neutral conditions but adapts if drainage is good.
• Water: Medium, keep evenly moist during establishment and avoid letting the root zone dry out for long periods.
• USDA Zones: 3 to 7.
• Exposure: Site out of harsh winter wind when possible to reduce winter discoloration and stress.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use a single plant as a tall, narrow focal point to add strong vertical structure without taking up much ground space.
• Screening: Plant in rows for a space-saving privacy screen that stays upright and dense with time.
• Narrow Borders: Tuck into tight side yards and skinny beds where wider evergreens would feel cramped.
• Entry Framing: Flank doors, gates, or steps with matched columns for a clean, formal look.
• Mixed Evergreens: Combine with broader conifers and broadleaf evergreens to create layered texture and depth.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune lightly in late spring to early summer to refine shape, and avoid cutting back into bare, leafless wood.
• Mulching: Mulch the root zone to conserve moisture and buffer temperature swings, keeping mulch off the trunk.
• Watering: Deeply water during hot, dry stretches to prevent thinning and reduce stress.
• Fertilizing: Feed in spring only if needed, using a slow-release evergreen fertilizer according to label directions.
• Snow and Ice: In heavy snow areas, gently remove wet snow to help prevent branch splay and preserve the narrow form.

Why Choose DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae?

• Space-Saving Privacy: Delivers real screening height while staying comparatively narrow.
• Refined Texture: Offers a fine, detailed evergreen look that elevates both formal and relaxed designs.
• Hedge Friendly: Tolerates shearing well for a more tailored column when you want crisp lines.
• Cold Hardy: Handles cold climates well when planted in a suitable, protected site.
• Low Maintenance: Holds a tidy, upright habit with simple watering and occasional shaping.

When you need an evergreen that fits where others feel too wide, DeGroot's Spire Arborvitae is a smart choice. Give it consistent moisture while it establishes, choose a site with decent shelter from drying wind, and it will reward you with dense, upright growth. It works beautifully as a repeating screen, but it also shines as a single vertical accent that makes the whole bed feel more structured. Over time, it becomes a dependable green backbone you can design around.