Emerald Cedar vs Wild Privet - TreeTime.ca

Emerald Cedar vs Wild Privet

Thuja occidentalis Smaragd

Ligustrum vulgare

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Emerald Cedar
Wild Privet

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.

Wild Privet is a fast growing ornamental shrub that is well suited for forming hedges and privacy screens. It will retain its leaves in warmer climates but drops them in colder areas. They have small white flowers, though the smell is often considered unpleasant. While the berries are inedible, they are a good food source for many bird species.

It is recommended to prune Wild Privet immediately after flowering, as it can readily self seed. It is deer and rabbit tolerant. It can grow in dry areas, on slopes, and withstand the wind making it well suited for many growing conditions.

Emerald Cedar Quick Facts

Wild Privet Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: none
Suckering: medium


Toxicity: If ingested, all parts of this plant will cause severe discomfort. Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses
Flowers: white
Berries: black
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: smaragd arborvitae, thuja occidentalis emeraude
Other Names: common privet, european privet