Are you talking about nurseries, as in independent garden centers, or instead big box plant departments?

Even at independent stores you can easily encounter someone working the yard who does not know all of the products - same as in other areas of retailing. You may have to get ahold of someone in management to find out what the situation is.

At any rate, musser forests does sell three footers (online).

I think it's a cultivar not well-known in the nursery trade. Maybe in the Pacific Northwest, it could be a different situation as they seem to know/grow everything.

Dax

the link below.. shows that they look like about a dozen other thuja ....

perhaps the question you should be asking.. is what is available.. as a substitute???

i suspect that the actual named plant is not as important to you as a plant that fits certain criteria.. which you did not list in your post ...

other than the Bball court info.. you dont tell us the parameters ....

most high end nurseries.. can order things ... have you tried that???

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

It came out of Fairview, PA in 1950 (or earlier). The main points about it is its vigor, its coarser than usual foliage texture and its dark green winter color.

There's a lot of 'Green Giant' in outlets out here now, with many questions posted on GardenWeb. Maybe that would suit you, if you want something that big.

'Hetz' Wintergreen' is no dwarf either, it being known to reach at least 30'.

Thanks for the response everyone. I guess I really have my heart set on these tree's!!! I already have a Green Giant staggered screen in the backyard, so would like to mix it up. I would like to screen a chainlink fence belonging to a school, and create privacy around a small basketball court that I will be having done soon. I don't have the excact dimensions of the court yet, and realize the potential size they get can grow, but I'm confident there is enough room for this tree to be planted there. I realiize they do look like about a dozen other thuja's, but really like that most are single leader, and think there coulumn shape adds an elegance to the landscaping. I'm on a mission to find and plant these!!! Thanks again

Personally, it's my favorite:

Bickelhaupt Arboretum:
{{gwi:676906}}

Plant them at 5' on center for this look. But these are very old. 4' might be better but not 3' as Musser Forest suggests. These are 30' tall.

Dax

'Hetz Wintergreen' grows fast so don't buy plants that are too large. Also, be sure to make several cuts down the sides of the root ball and open the root ball a bit when planting so the roots don't continue to grow in circles. These plants will blow over in a strong wind if they don't have a good root system established from the beginning.

I planted a screen of HW in 2002 and the plants were about 2' tall. I would say the plants are now 22' to 25' tall, and they are growing in partial shade. I planted on 30" centers due to the partial shade conditions.

HW has great green color all year and, like you have stated, this cultivar tends to grow with a single leader so heavy snows don't make it splay apart (unlike 'Smaragd' aka Emerald Green arborvitae). My plants have been bent almost to the ground by heavy snows, but just bounced right back once the snow had melted.

I can give you an online source that sells small rooted cuttings for less than $2.00 each. Let me know if you're interested.
Good luck in your quest!
Mike

Would love the information on the online source for ordering the small rooted cuttings.

dax, I saw that musser forests only has 6-12" seedlings right now. I'm thinking they'll add a bunch of inventory in spring.

Two sources:

For the smaller quantity option and what Mike is talking about:

Reeseville Ridge Nursery

For 100 cuttings w/free-shipping 50dollars for 6"-9" and less for 6":

Rens Nursery

Dax