Plant Finder

shrub

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis 'Sudworthii'

Add To My Wish List

 
Sudworth Gold Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Sudworthii') at Highland Avenue Greenhouse

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  8 feet

Spread:  4 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  3

Other Names:  Eastern White Cedar

Description:

A beautiful color accent shrub for the garden with rich golden-yellow foliage that turns a coppery-orange in fall, on an open, irregular and distinctly pyramidal form; one of the hardier gold-leaved forms, best with some shelter in winter

Ornamental Features

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive yellow evergreen foliage which emerges gold in spring. The scale-like sprays of foliage are highly ornamental and turn coppery-bronze in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with 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 shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Sudworth Gold Arborvitae will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub 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. 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  Articulation  Massing  Screening  Garden 
Applications
Foliage Color  Plant Form  Winter Value 
Ornamental Features