Distinctive and striking are two of the most common adjectives used to describe Thuja plicata 'Zebrina'. It has creamy yellow “zebra-like” stripes mixed with dark green sprays of vegetation. And it offers a refined pyramidal habit and dense foliage. All of this sets Zebrina apart as an excellent ornamental cultivar for privacy screening in landscapes.
Before you add Thuja Zebrina to your list, let’s dive into everything you need to know about what makes this cultivar a solid choice.
The largest tree in the cypress family, Thuja plicata, when grown in their native Pacific Northwest habitat, can reach 100-200’ tall and live more than 1000 years. But the Zebrina variegated form typically matures at just 30-50 feet tall and 8-12 feet wide—much more reasonable for an urban garden. This makes it a good vertical accent to any landscape and especially valuable as a tall hedge or privacy screen.
Featuring horizontal branching that grows in a narrowly conical habit, Zebrina has attractive reddish-brown bark, scale-like leaves, and small knobbly cones. The feathery green foliage that’s striped with creamy yellow is highly ornamental and remains yellow green throughout the winter. It also gives off a distinct aromatic fragrance when the leaves are crushed.
Slow-growing, Thuja Zebrina prefers full sun to partial shade. It also prefers moist (or even wet) soils, and is tolerant of clay soil. The key to a thriving Zebrina is cooler summer climates (or partial shade in the heat of summer). Mulching is recommended to help prevent the soil from drying out. Otherwise, it is tolerant of urban pollution and has no preference for soil type or PH.
Relatively low-maintenance, Zebrina seldom requires pruning and only of the new growth of the current season. Otherwise, it has no significant negative characteristics, including no serious insect or disease problems. In fact, it is highly deer and rabbit resistant.
If you desire a faster growing hybrid arborvitae that features a narrowly conical pyramidal tree in rich glossy green, Thuja standishii x plicata ‘Green Giant’ is another solid option.
Green Giant is a popular evergreen for privacy screening because it is so fast growing—up to five feet per year. As a hybrid, not only is it tolerant of a wide range of soil and site conditions, but it is also a hardier substitute than similar cultivars (especially the Leyland cypress). A uniform grower, Green Giant is deer resistant, shows no significant pest or disease problems, offers easy care, and is attractive year-round. And with a similar pyramidal growth habit and dense foliage as Zebrina, it is a good choice for sizable border or privacy screen needs for most landscapes.
Our eBook "The Waverly Farm Playbook for Growing Outstanding Landscape Stock Year After Year" will help you in your search by identifying key characteristics to look for in a grower capable of producing plants that have year over year consistency in health, size, and fullness.