About This Plant
Tall, narrow, and beautifully textured, Sugar and Spice™ Western Arborvitae is an excellent choice when you want evergreen structure without taking up a lot of garden space. Its soft, fine-textured green foliage grows along distinctive orange-brown stems, creating subtle contrast and year-round interest.
With its naturally upright, columnar habit, Sugar and Spice™ works beautifully as a narrow privacy screen, hedge, specimen, or vertical accent in a mixed border. The foliage maintains its green color well through winter, while its deer resistance makes it especially useful in areas where browsing is a concern.
Planting & Care
How to Plant
Choose a spot with at least 4 hours of sun. Dig a hole 2–3 times as wide as the pot but no deeper, with the top of the root ball slightly above ground level. Loosen circling roots and backfill with the native soil. Water deeply after planting and add 2–3 in of mulch, keeping it off the stems. Hardy in USDA zones 5-8.
Watering & Feeding
Water deeply 1–2 times a week for the first season, about 1 in per week. Keep soil evenly moist, especially during heat and dry spells. Rarely needs fertilizer; a layer of compost in spring is plenty.
Pruning & Seasonal Care
Needs little pruning; shape lightly in late spring and don't cut into old brown wood. Water well in late fall before the ground freezes. Mulch in late fall to protect roots through the first winter.