Steeplechase Arborvitae

Steeplechase Arborvitae (Thuja standishii x plicata 'Steeplechase')

Steeplechase Arborvitae is a fast, dense evergreen that helps you build privacy without waiting forever for a screen to fill in. It creates a tall, green backdrop that makes outdoor spaces feel calmer, more sheltered, and more finished year-round. The foliage has a softer, finer texture than many big screening evergreens, so the result looks full and refined rather than bulky. If you want reliable coverage for property lines and large borders, this hybrid delivers strong performance with a straightforward routine.

Distinctive Features

This vigorous hybrid forms a broadly pyramidal to conical evergreen with dense, feathery sprays of rich green foliage. It is often described as smaller and denser than similar fast-growing screens, with a fuller look from top to bottom when grown in good light and moisture. Over time it commonly reaches about 20 to 30 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide if left untrimmed, creating substantial screening value. Small cones may appear, but the main appeal is the fast, uniform growth and the fine, layered texture.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with the densest growth typically in brighter exposures.
• Soil: Average to rich, well-drained soil is ideal, and it performs best where the root zone stays consistently moist.
• Water: Water regularly during establishment, then water deeply during extended dry periods to maintain dense growth.
• USDA Zones: 4 to 7.
• Spacing: Give plants room for airflow and mature width, especially when planting long screens.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use one as a tall evergreen focal point to anchor a large bed with a clean, pyramidal silhouette and fine texture.
• Screening: Plant in rows to create a dense privacy screen that fills in quickly and stays green through the seasons.
• Hedge: Maintain as a tall hedge where you want a more uniform boundary along fences and property lines.
• Windbreak: Use to reduce wind and create more comfortable garden and patio spaces behind it.
• Backdrop Planting: Place behind mixed borders to make flowers and lighter foliage colors stand out more.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune lightly in late spring to early summer if shaping is needed, and avoid severe cuts into bare, leafless wood.
• Mulching: Mulch the root zone to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperatures, keeping mulch a few inches off the trunk.
• Watering: Keep moisture steady in the first couple of seasons, then water during drought to prevent stress and thinning.
• Fertilizing: Feed in spring only if growth is weak, using a slow-release evergreen fertilizer according to label directions.
• Winter Care: Brush off heavy, wet snow to reduce branch splay and help preserve the natural form.

Why Choose Steeplechase Arborvitae?

• Fast Privacy: Builds a tall, dense screen efficiently once established.
• Full Growth Habit: Develops a thick, uniform look that works well for long runs of coverage.
• Refined Texture: Feathery foliage adds a softer, more finished look than many large screening evergreens.
• Versatile Use: Works as a natural screen, a shaped hedge, or a large specimen in open spaces.
• Deer Pressure Note: Deer resistance is not reliable, so protect plants where browsing is common.

If your goal is a strong evergreen screen that looks dense and refined, Steeplechase Arborvitae is an easy plant to build around. Give it sun for best fullness, consistent moisture while it establishes, and enough room to mature into its broad pyramidal form. Used in rows, it creates a quiet green wall that improves privacy and comfort in a few seasons. With simple care and smart spacing, it becomes a long-lasting backbone that keeps the landscape feeling settled year-round.