Southern Living® Highlights™ Arborvitae Thuja

Colorful, Easy to Care for Conifer

When it comes to evergreens that stand out, Highlights™ Arborvitae Thuja can’t be beat! Known for its distinct, bright yellow-gold color, this tree adds the perfect splash of brightness.

The foliage is not only highly aromatic, it’s also tough, easily standing up to the heat of summer without burning. 

Thanks to its tight, pyramidal habit, the Highlights™ Arborvitae is a true space-saver. It has a narrow footprint, with a width of just 4 feet and a height of 20 feet when fully grown. The size makes it ideal for use in mixed borders, creating natural privacy barriers and when planted in containers.

The dramatic form becomes more conical over time and Highlights™ Arborvitae requires little to no pruning. This exceptional conifer never fades to green, providing a lovely pop of color wherever it is added. Grow yours today!

About Southern Living®: The Southern Living® Plant Collection was created to bring gardeners plants that truly thrive in real-world landscapes. Each variety is carefully selected and rigorously tested to ensure it performs beautifully—especially in challenging Southern conditions like heat and humidity. Since its introduction in 2008, the collection has focused on offering reliable, solution-driven plants with outstanding color, form, and durability, so you can garden with confidence and enjoy lasting results.

Planting & Care

Planting:  Highlights™ Arborvitae Thujas grow best in full sun, but they can withstand partial shade (afternoon sun is best in this case). And for best results, plant these trees six feet apart to enjoy their pyramid shape or four feet apart for a dense hedge.

When planting Highlights™ Arborvitae Thuja, dig a hole that is just as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. If the top of the root ball is lower than the surrounding soil, remove the tree and fill in part of the hole. Replace the tree and fill in the hole with the same soil you removed. You do not need to add anything to the soil. Mulch around the tree with shredded hardwood mulch. A layer three inches thick, extending three feet, around the tree is ideal.

Watering:  Water your new tree weekly or twice weekly by holding a hose around it and counting to 20.

After the first month, water just once a week unless it is dry and hot (no rain and temperatures above 80 degrees). If it is hot and dry, water twice a week.

Fertilizing: Highlights™ Arborvitae Thuja grows well without pruning. In fact, this is one tree that needs no pruning, other than to remove dead branches. If you do decide to hedge this tree, make sure that when you trim, the bottom of the tree is wider than the top.

Pruning: Support growth by using an all-purpose evergreen tree and shrub fertilizer starting in the spring.