3 Little Giant Arborvitae Live Plants – Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’ Bare Root Starters, Outdoor

Overview

Transform your garden with the charming Little Giant Arborvitae live plant. This offering includes three bare root starter plants of Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’, a highly sought-after, slow-growing, globe-shaped evergreen. Renowned for its compact size and tidy appearance, the Little Giant Arborvitae live plant is an excellent choice for gardeners looking to add structure and year-round greenery to smaller landscapes, formal gardens, or as an accent plant. Its natural spherical shape requires minimal pruning, making it a low-maintenance addition to any outdoor space. These plants are shipped as bare root starters, ready for planting upon arrival, ensuring a healthy beginning for your new garden additions.

The Thuja occidentalis ‘Little Giant’ is a cultivar of the native Eastern Arborvitae, selected specifically for its diminutive size and dense foliage. It maintains a vibrant green color throughout the year, providing consistent visual appeal even in winter. Whether you’re designing a new garden bed, creating a natural border, or enhancing a patio area, these compact arborvitae starters offer versatility and enduring beauty. Their robust nature and adaptability to various growing conditions make them a favorite among both novice and experienced gardeners.

Key Benefits

The Little Giant Arborvitae live plant offers a multitude of advantages for any landscape. Its unique characteristics contribute significantly to garden aesthetics and ease of care. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Compact, Globe Shape: This variety naturally grows into a neat, spherical form, typically reaching 4-6 feet tall and wide. This makes it perfect for small gardens, urban spaces, or as a foundational plant without overwhelming the area.
• Low Maintenance: The Thuja occidentalis Little Giant requires very little pruning to maintain its attractive shape, saving you time and effort. Light shaping in late spring is usually sufficient.
• Deer Resistant: Once established, this deer resistant evergreen is less likely to be browsed by deer, a significant advantage in areas where deer are a common problem, helping to protect your landscape investment.
• Versatile Sunlight Tolerance: Thrives in both full sun and partial shade, offering flexibility in planting locations within your garden design.
• Adaptable to Various Soils: Tolerates a wide range of soil types and pH levels, provided they are well-draining, making it suitable for many different garden environments.
• Year-Round Greenery: As an evergreen, it provides consistent color and structure to your garden throughout all four seasons, enhancing winter interest when many other plants are dormant.
• Formal and Informal Use: Its tidy, globe-shaped arborvitae appearance makes it suitable for both formal garden settings and more relaxed, naturalistic landscapes.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Little Giant Arborvitae live plant is straightforward, ensuring a healthy and robust addition to your garden. These plants are known for their resilience and adaptability. Upon arrival, unwrap your bare root starters and plant them as soon as possible. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread and just as deep, ensuring the crown of the plant is level with the soil surface. Backfill with soil, gently firming it around the roots to remove air pockets, then water thoroughly.

For optimal growth, the Thuja occidentalis Little Giant thrives in full sun to partial shade. Full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily) will promote the densest foliage and best color, while partial shade (4-6 hours of sun, especially morning sun) is also well-tolerated. Consistent moisture is crucial, especially during the first year of establishment. Water regularly, ensuring the soil remains evenly moist but not waterlogged. Once established, it can tolerate some drought, but supplemental watering during dry spells will benefit its health and appearance. This compact arborvitae prefers well-draining soil, but is adaptable to various soil types and pH levels. Incorporating organic matter into sandy or heavy clay soils can improve drainage and nutrient retention.

Fertilization is generally not heavily required for established plants. A balanced slow-release fertilizer can be applied in early spring to encourage vigorous growth. Minimal pruning is needed to maintain the natural globe-shaped arborvitae form; any light shaping or removal of dead/damaged branches can be done in late spring. This deer resistant evergreen is generally pest and disease resistant. Monitor for common garden pests like spider mites or bagworms, and address any issues promptly with appropriate organic or chemical controls. Ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases. It is hardy in a wide range of USDA zones, making it a reliable choice for many regions.

Size & Details

Each order includes 3 Little Giant Arborvitae live plant bare root starters. These plants are shipped without pots to ensure economical and safe transport, ready for immediate planting in your garden. The ‘Little Giant’ cultivar is a slow-growing evergreen that typically matures to a compact size of about 4-6 feet in both height and width. This makes it an ideal choice for smaller garden spaces, foundation plantings, or as a low hedge. Its mature size is achieved over several years, allowing you to enjoy its growth progression.

The bare root form ensures that the plant’s energy is focused on root development once planted, leading to a strong foundation. Expect these plants to establish well within their first growing season, showing noticeable growth in their second year. They maintain a dense, vibrant green foliage throughout the year, providing consistent texture and color to your landscape. The inherent compact arborvitae nature means you won’t need to worry about it outgrowing its space quickly, making it a long-term, valuable addition to your outdoor environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does the Little Giant Arborvitae live plant get? A: The Little Giant Arborvitae live plant is a compact cultivar that typically reaches a mature size of about 4-6 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, making it suitable for small spaces and formal garden designs. Its slow growth rate means it maintains its manageable size for many years.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Thuja occidentalis Little Giant is an outdoor plant, ideal for landscaping, hedges, and garden beds. It is not suitable for growing indoors as a houseplant due to its light and space requirements.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: This compact arborvitae thrives in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day) to partial shade (4-6 hours of sun). Full sun encourages the densest growth and best color.
• Q: What condition will the bare root starters arrive in? A: Your 3 Little Giant Arborvitae live plant starters will arrive as bare roots, carefully packaged to protect their root systems. They will not be in pots, which is standard for bare root shipping, and should be planted promptly upon arrival.
• Q: Is the Little Giant Arborvitae live plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the ‘Little Giant’ is considered a low-maintenance plant. It requires consistent moisture during establishment but is quite hardy once mature. Minimal pruning is needed to maintain its natural globe-shaped arborvitae form.
• Q: Is this plant deer resistant? A: Yes, the Thuja occidentalis Little Giant is known for being a deer resistant evergreen once it is established, which is a significant advantage for gardens in areas with deer populations.
• Q: When is the best time to plant bare root arborvitae? A: The best time to plant bare root arborvitae is typically in early spring or fall when the weather is cool but the ground is not frozen. This allows the roots to establish before extreme heat or cold.
• Q: What type of soil does this arborvitae prefer? A: It tolerates various soil types and pH levels but performs best in well-draining soil. Amending heavy clay or very sandy soils with organic matter can be beneficial.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The Little Giant Arborvitae live plant is generally hardy in USDA Zones 3-7, making it suitable for a wide range of climates and able to withstand cold winter temperatures in those zones.
• Q: Can I use this plant for a hedge? A: Absolutely! Its compact, uniform growth habit and evergreen foliage make the compact arborvitae an excellent choice for creating a low, formal hedge or border in your garden.