Little Simon is a dwarf selection of Emerald Green Arborvitae. It boasts lovely year-round green color, dense growth, and a small size when mature. It grows about 3” per year and is easy to maintain. Little Simon is a good replacement for low boxwood hedges that have been infected with Boxwood Blight.
Tree Pot: Starts at $4.30 per plant, healthy roots, lowest starting cost, ~7 year wait
InstantHedge™: Starts at $134.99 per unit, 18-24” height, easy to maneuver, no wait
Little Simon is a dwarf selection of the already slow-growing Emerald Green Arborvitae. While Emerald Green grows 6-8” per year, Little Simon grows more like 1-3” per year. This makes it very low-maintenance, as pruning is rarely needed and only needs to be done lightly to even out the shape. The growing requirements for this new shrub are similar to Emerald Green: full sun, moderate water, hardy to USDA Zone 3. Little Simon is perfect for low hedges and knot gardens. It also grows well in containers and is good for small urban gardens and balconies. You may want to consider Little Simon as a replacement for boxwood hedges that have been infected with Boxwood Blight. Little Simon will give you similar size, shape, and color, without the disease issues. It has no serious pests, but deer do tend to eat Thuja occidentalis. Once established, it can be highly drought resistant.
Planting Little Simon Arborvitae tree pots as a hedge is simple, and how you space them depends on how tall you want your hedge to become eventually. Space your tree pots 12-18” apart, on center (meaning from the center of the truck of each plant). It will mature at a 3-4' height. For more information on planting tree pots, click here.