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

CobraHead® Long Handle Weeder & Cultivator Garden Tool

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

BUILT BY GARDENERS—CobraHead tools are developed from seasons of hands-on gardening experience. EASY TO USE—Our classic garden weeding tools are great for greenhorns or green thumbs of all ages. TEMPERED STEEL BLADE—Gardeners love this tool because the curved head plows though any soil. COMFORTABLE LONG HANDLE—Our handles are made from 54-inch North Carolina ash for easy right or left-hand use. MADE IN THE USA—All of our dependable garden tools are crafted with care in Cambridge, Wisconsin.

Buy at Amazon

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees

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

The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area.

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt Variable-Speed Cordless Reciprocating Saw with 6-Piece Saw Blade Set

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
- DW4856 Metal/Woodcutting Reciprocating Saw Blade Set, 6-Piece

Buy at Amazon