Arborvitaes (Thuja spp. and cvs., Zones 3–11) are a familiar staple in American gardens. Cultivars of Eastern arborvitae (T. occidentalis, Zones 3–7), Oriental arborvitae (T. orientalis, Zones 6–11), and giant Western arborvitae (T. plicata, Zones 5–8) abound in a range of sizes, shapes, and foliage colors.

We might want to do many things to help our arborvitaes stay trim and neat, but pruning has its limits. Here are a few common situations to be wary of. Learn how to prune arborvitae here.

Repairing deer damage is all about balance

If feeding pressure isn’t too intense, you may be able to prune or shear the upper portions to balance the form. Follow up with measures to physically protect the plants from future browsing. If there is broad enough space around the arborvitaes, it may help to add a dense boundary planting of deer-resistant companion plants to intercept access and cover up the bare trunk.

Shearing to size is only a temporary fix

Arborvitaes are indeed sheared in some garden settings. Eastern arborvitae and giant Western arborvitae are more tolerant than Oriental arborvitae (which has more vertically oriented foliage sprays). After years of shearing, however, you can expect these plants to get wider, with a thin shell of foliage covering an expanding brown interior.

Reshaping the form can only be done for so long

Arborvitae’s traits of not producing growth on old wood and its intolerance of heavy pruning limits pruning options for older specimens. Pruning won’t stimulate growth when foliage has gone thin from overshading, and there’s little chance to restore form on a specimen that has become lopsided due to overcrowding in a bed. When your pruning options hit a dead end, you’ve reached an opportunity to plant something new and better at that spot.

Christina Pfeiffer lectures widely on various pruning topics and is the co-author of Month-by-Month Gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

DeWalt Variable-Speed Cordless Reciprocating Saw

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

You can fit a variety of blades to this saw to cut fallen branches or prune larger limbs from trees in a pinch. It’s fast, tough, easy to use, and extremely versatile.
- 18.31 x 6.13 x 4 inches
- 1-1/8-inch stroke length
- Variable speed trigger with 0-3000 spm

Buy at Amazon

5 pack Garden Pruning Shears Stainless Steel Blades

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

5 pack Garden Pruning Shears Stainless Steel Blades, Handheld Scissors Set with Gardening Gloves,Heavy Duty Garden Bypass Pruning Shears ,Tree Trimmers Secateurs, Hand Pruner

Buy at Amazon

BLACK+DECKER 40V MAX Hedge Trimmer, Cordless, 24-Inch Blade, Battery and Charger Included (LHT2436)

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Powerful 40V Lithium Ion battery of the cordless hedge trimmer delivers power and run-time to complete the toughest jobs. 24 inch dual-action blades of the battery powered hedge trimmer cut branches fast with less vibration. Trimmers for plants have extended reach blades with a 3/4 inch cut capacity trim more in less time. Up to 6000 sq ft of actual hedges trimmed per charge. Wrap-around front handle provides comfort and control in vertical and horizontal trimming application. Full length trigger with soft grip handle provides added comfort during use. State of charge indicator shows battery charge level. Maximum initial battery voltage (measured without a workload) is 40V. Nominal voltage is 36.

Buy at Amazon