Highlights Arborvitae

Highlights Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Janed Gold')

Highlights Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Janed Gold') is a narrow, upright evergreen prized for its brilliant golden foliage that stays luminous from spring through winter. Its naturally columnar habit, dense branching, and year-round color make it an excellent choice for slim hedges, privacy screens, and high-impact accents in foundation beds or entry plantings.

Distinctive Features

Bright gold, fine-textured sprays cloak a tight, pyramidal form that maintains clean lines without heavy pruning. New growth emerges vibrant yellow and matures to rich gold chartreuse, holding color even in cold weather. The foliage is soft to the touch and layered for a full, refined look, creating a striking focal point in all seasons.

Growing Conditions

• Sun Exposure: Full sun to light partial sun; best golden color in full sun with adequate moisture.
• Soil: Moderately fertile, well-drained soil; tolerates loam, sandy loam, or light clay with drainage.
• Water: Moderate; keep evenly moist during establishment, then water during extended dry spells.
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7.
• Mature Size: Typically 12 to 15 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide, naturally columnar.

Ideal Uses

• Narrow Screens: Slim footprint creates privacy in tight side yards or along property lines.
• Accent and Focal Point: Golden foliage draws the eye at entries, corners, and garden nodes.
• Mixed Evergreen Borders: Contrasts beautifully with blue conifers and dark broadleaf evergreens.
• Foundation Plantings: Brightens shaded facades with a vertical, tidy form.
• Containers (young plants): Adds year-round color to patios and terraces.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: Maintain consistent moisture the first two seasons; mulch 2 to 3 inches to conserve water and protect roots.
• Pruning: Minimal; light tip-trimming in late spring to refine shape. Avoid hard cuts into old wood.
• Feeding: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring if growth is lean.
• Protection: Site out of strong winter winds to reduce leaf scorch; protect from deer browse where pressure is high.
• Spacing: For a tight hedge, plant 3 to 4 feet apart center-to-center.

Why Choose Highlights Arborvitae?

• Four-Season Color: Brilliant gold foliage provides constant brightness in the landscape.
• Space-Saving Form: Tall, slim profile fits narrow beds and small lots.
• Easy Care: Naturally tidy habit with minimal pruning needs.
• Design Versatility: Works as a specimen, hedge, or luminous backdrop for mixed borders.
• Cold Hardy: Reliable performance across a wide northern range.

Thuja occidentalis 'Janed Gold' delivers a sleek, columnar silhouette wrapped in sunlit gold, offering low-maintenance structure and standout color for hedges, screens, and focal plantings in full sun with good drainage.