American Pillar Arborvitae for Sale
American Pillar Arborvitae is the narrow evergreen you plant when the property line is tight and you need height fast. It holds a 3–4 ft footprint at maturity, tops out around 17 ft, and — unusually for an evergreen — it tolerates a damp or seasonally wet planting line. We stock it in two grades at our Newton, NH yard and deliver across New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.
- $1295–6 ft, 74 available
- $1496–7 ft, 182 available
- 3 ftspacing on centre
- 15–20 ftmature height
- 3–4 ftmature width
- Zone 3ahardy well past NH
Price and what is on the ground
| Grade | Price each | Available now | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–6 ft | $129.00 | 74 | up to ~220 ft of hedge |
| 6–7 ft | $149.00 | 182 | up to ~540 ft of hedge |
| 4–5 ft | $99.00 | Sold out for the season | — |
Installation is available within 50 miles: $30 per plant with a $300 minimum, which covers the first 10 plants. Tick the box on the product page and it appears in your cart.
Why people choose American Pillar over the alternatives
Three questions decide almost every arborvitae order: how wide will it get, how fast will it fill in, and will the deer eat it. Here is where American Pillar actually lands against the two varieties we sell most of.
| American Pillar | Emerald Green | Green Giant | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mature height | 15–20 ft | 12.5 ft | 30 ft |
| Mature width | 4 ft | 4 ft | 10 ft |
| Spacing | 3 ft | 3 ft | 5 ft |
| Growth rate | Fast | Moderate | Fast |
| Deer resistant | No | No | Yes |
| Damp ground | Handles it | Average | Average |
| Price, 6–7 ft | $149 | $100 | $149 |
Read that table honestly and it says this: American Pillar's case is height and speed in a narrow footprint, on ground that stays damp. If none of those apply and you simply want the longest hedge for the money, Emerald Green is $49 cheaper per tree at the same grade and takes the same 3 ft spacing. If deer are the problem, neither of them is the answer — buy Green Giant.
How many do you need
American Pillar plants on 3 ft centres. That is closer than most people guess, and it is what produces a solid wall rather than a row of separate trees.
| Run length | Trees | At $129 (5–6 ft) | At $149 (6–7 ft) | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 ft | 9 | $1,161 | $1,341 | $1,641 |
| 50 ft | 17 | $2,193 | $2,533 | $3,043 |
| 75 ft | 25 | $3,225 | $3,725 | $4,475 |
| 100 ft | 34 | $4,386 | $5,066 | $6,086 |
A 25 ft run is nine trees, under the ten-plant minimum, so it pays the $300 floor.
The wet-site case
Northern white cedar — the species American Pillar is selected from — is rated FACW on the USDA and Army Corps National Wetland Plant List for the Northcentral and Northeast region. In plain terms it usually occurs in wetlands, and it dominates cedar swamps in the wild. That makes it one of the very few evergreen screens that will take a low side yard, a seasonally soggy property line or a spot near a swale where spruce and most junipers sulk.
The limits are real, though. It will not take standing water in compacted clay, and it is genuinely drought-sensitive — this is not a tough dry-site plant.
Deer will eat this one. American Pillar is a Thuja occidentalis selection, and that whole group is a preferred winter browse. We grade its deer resistance a D. If your property has real deer pressure and no fencing, plant Green Giant instead — it is the same price at 6–7 ft and deer largely leave it alone. We would rather lose the sale than have you plant thirty of these and watch them get stripped to five feet.
Plant facts
| Botanical name | Thuja occidentalis 'American Pillar' |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 15–20 ft |
| Mature width | 3–4 ft |
| Spacing | 3 ft on centre |
| Hardiness zones | 3a–8a |
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Moisture | Average to moist; tolerates seasonally wet |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Growth habit | Narrow, columnar, upright |
| Evergreen | Yes |
| Deer resistant | No |
| Native | Species native to New England and the eastern US |
| Wetland status | FACW (facultative wetland) |
Questions we actually get asked
How big does American Pillar Arborvitae get?
Around 15–20 ft tall and 3–4 ft wide at maturity in our climate. The narrow width is the whole point of the variety — it gives you a tall screen out of a 4 ft strip of ground.
How fast does American Pillar Arborvitae grow?
Fast, and noticeably faster than Emerald Green. On a site with decent soil that does not dry out, it is one of the quicker columnar arborvitae to close a gap.
How far apart should American Pillar Arborvitae be planted?
3 ft on centre for a solid screen. Wider than that and you will see gaps at eye level for several years. For a looser row where you want each tree read as its own shape, 4 ft works.
Is American Pillar Arborvitae deer resistant?
No. It is a Thuja occidentalis, and deer browse that group hard in winter. Green Giant is the deer-resistant arborvitae we recommend instead.
Will it work along a fence line or as a privacy screen?
That is its best use. The 3–4 ft mature width means you can plant it inside a setback or tight against a fence without it pushing into the yard the way a Green Giant will.
Does American Pillar Arborvitae have an invasive root system?
No. Northern white cedar has a shallow, fibrous root system rather than an aggressive taproot, which is why it is commonly planted along fence lines and property borders. For anything near a septic system, leach field or utility line, check your local setback requirements before you plant.
What zone is it hardy to?
Zones 3a through 8a. Every part of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine sits comfortably inside that range.
How much does American Pillar Arborvitae cost?
$129 for a 5–6 ft tree and $149 for a 6–7 ft tree. Installation is $300 for up to ten plants, then $30 each. Those are the two grades we have on the ground; the 4–5 ft is sold out for the season.
American Pillar or Emerald Green?
Emerald Green if you want the most hedge per dollar on ordinary ground — it is $100 at 6–7 ft against $149. American Pillar if you need the extra few feet of eventual height, want it to fill in faster, or are planting somewhere that stays damp. Neither one is deer resistant.
Where can I buy American Pillar Arborvitae near me?
From our yard in Newton, New Hampshire. We deliver throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine, and install within 50 miles. Pickup is available if you have the truck for a 6–7 ft tree.