Emerald™ arborvitae at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Gastonia, NC

Most needle evergreens falter in moist soggy soils. These sites usually have a heavy clay or fine particle sand content. Some arborvitaes (Thuja spp.) and Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) tolerate temporary wet soggy conditions better than most evergreens (USDA hardiness zones 3-8). An assortment of shapes, sizes and colors are available. All are U.S. natives.

Eastern arborvitae (T. occidentalis) tolerates  dry to boggy wet sites. Emerald™ and ‘DeGroot Spire’ is two popular favorites, growing 12-15 feet or 8 feet tall respectively over 15-20 years. The scale- like foliage is uniquely twisted and spiraled. ‘Hetz Midget’ or ‘Tiny Tim’ are dwarf globe or ball forms that grow 12 inches tall and 16 inches wide. The light green scaly foliage turns bronze over winter.

Western arborvitae (T. plicata)) also tolerates tight wet soils. It grows tall and is fast-growing with a tightly pyramidal growth habit. Most popular is the hybrid ‘Green Giant’ (T. plicata x T. standishii) cultivar. Summer foliage is dark glossy green and bronzes over winter. Green Giant grows to a mature height of 50-60 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide. For something very different, ‘Whipcord’ is a dwarf cultivar with unusual thread-like branches and an arching plant habit. It grows to only 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide in 10 years.

Atlantic white cedar (C. thyoides) (zones 5-9) is often observed growing on soggy sandy sites, but dislike clay soils. Winter foliage turns a deep plum color and back to green by the start of spring.

Three popular selections of C. thyoides include:

‘Rubicon’, aka ‘Red Star’ – upright dense form with star-like foliage (6 feet tall by 2 feet wide).

‘Heatherbun’ – compact, globe-shaped form (6 to 8 feet tall by 4-5 feet wide).

‘Shiva’ – dwarf multi-stemmed form with upright spreading branches and silvery lacy foliage (5 feet tall by 4 feet wide) .