Arnold Hawthorn vs Emerald Cedar - TreeTime.ca

Arnold Hawthorn vs Emerald Cedar

Crataegus arnoldiana

Thuja occidentalis Smaragd

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Arnold Hawthorn
Emerald Cedar

Arnold Hawthorn is a low-branched tree favored by wildlife and landscapers. This tree's beautiful white flowers and bright red berries make it an attractive ornamental in anyone's yard. Arnold Hawthorn is also used in windbreaks and riparian planting.

Despite its thorns, Arnold Hawthorn is a popular choice of food and shelter for deer and birds. Humans can also eat these berries fresh or preserved, but Arnold Hawthorn will not have high yields until it matures at 5-8 years.

Emerald Cedar makes a great addition to landscapes, and is often used to form tight hedges or privacy screens. The thick scale-like foliage adds texture and colour to yards and is commonly used to line driveways. Unlike other cedars it retains its green colour throughout the fall and winter.

It is a semi dwarf species, which generally needs little pruning, but if desired it responds well to trimming. Its attractive, columnar shape and dense foliage makes it a desired landscape feature.

The Emerald Cedar won the award of merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

Arnold Hawthorn Quick Facts

Emerald Cedar Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 5 m (15 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 5 m (15 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: none


Foliage: contains thorns
Fall colour: yellow
Bark: gray to brown
Flowers: white
Berries: red pomes about 1 cm in diameter
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: smaragd arborvitae, thuja occidentalis emeraude