Witch Hazel vs Emerald Cedar - TreeTime.ca

Witch Hazel vs Emerald Cedar

Hamamelis virginiana

Thuja occidentalis Smaragd

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Witch Hazel
Emerald Cedar

Witch Hazel is a deciduous shrub, or small tree, with a short trunk, bearing numerous spreading, crooked branches.

The seeds grow in a long, wooden pod with two to four seeds per pod. Upon ripening, the pods burst, firing the seeds up to 30km an hour.

The leaf and bark extract of Witch Hazel has been used as a remedy to common ailments such as inflammation, bruises and much more for many centuries.

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.

Witch Hazel Quick Facts

Emerald Cedar Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 6 m (20 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: wet
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none


Seeds: seeds ejected to a distance of up to 30 ft
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Other Names: smaragd arborvitae, thuja occidentalis emeraude