I am renovating my back yard and would like to plant a hedge of Pyramidal Cedars. I have been told that the Thuja Occidentalis (Emerald Cedar) will grow compactly to a height of no more then 15' and 3 1/2' in diameter, which suits my purpose for privacy and looks. If I plant a 4 - 5' cedar this fall, how much can I expect it to grow in 1 year in the Coquitlam? I have a very long run to plant and would like to keep costs down by planting shorter trees, but also would like the privacy in a few years.
pyramidalis and smaragd are different cultivars. Smaragd is more emerald green in color (apparently smaragd is Danish for emerald green), they grow about 7 to 10 inches in height per year. Pyramidalis grow about 8 to 14 inches in height per year. Smaragd has pointed tops and pyramidalis generally has a flat top of multiple points. I have seen both exceed 20 feet in height and 4 feet in width as a column, given enough time (20 years or so).
Thuja occidentalis is the wild species of which these two are cultivated varieties (cultivars). A great many other cultivars of this species have also been selected, many of them dwarf. Of the two columnar forms mentioned here the more dense and green 'Smaragd' has become dominant in commerce and the one most likely encountered at outlets. That is the case down here anyway.
