Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' (Street Name: Emerald Green Arborvitae). Can be picked up cheap at big box store, but they do not handle snow load well as you can see. They splay apart, since they are multiple leader trees.

You would be better of replacing it with Picea glauca 'Pendula' or Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire'. But if you really want to keep it, the best way is to tie it back together. I use green garden twine so it will blend in and then just wrap it from top to bottom. I do it as a preventative measure before the snow hits, but you can do it after as well. Then hammer a stake in the ground year the house and just pull it tight until it is upright again.

SC77, thanks for the quick response and awesome information!

Should I elect to keep the Smaragd, would it be okay to cut the largest/longest branch at the base?

that is a prime spot for something beyond what is offered at bigboxstore ...

get rid of it ...

and get something sublime ...

and if you ever go with more arbs.. find single leader specimens... part of your problem.. was that this multi leaders splayed .. and trapped snow and ice.. and that caused what you see ... most single leader plants.. would have shed such.. and never ended up like this

for a minor investment.. and digging.. you can set yourself up for many years of a carefree plant...

the alternative is to bind it up.. putt in a rather large ugly stake... and look at it for years to come ... not my cup of tea

ken

I'm with Ken on this one. Either a single leader arb, such as 'Degroot's Spire' or ideally something even more unique. Since you mentioned it's a narrow space, I'd consider Picea glauca 'Pendula', you can pick up a 1.5ft offering from Conifer Kingdom for like $25 bucks...The tree is stunning, narrow, and will not splay like your current Smaragd...There are others you could consider as well depending on how much light the space gets, you could also consider Picea pungens 'The Blues' or Picea Abies 'Gold Drift'..

Don't plant during the summer, it's probably too late for spring planting, I'd spend the summer thinking about it and place an order in the fall

Thanks, both. My (previously undisclosed) hesitation on starting 'fresh' is that we plan on moving in the not so distant future. So I have a tough time convincing myself to dump time and energy into the landscaping. Not a good reason, I know, but a roadblock for me nonetheless.

Regardless, it sounds like replanting would likely take place in the fall anyway. Will the plant be okay loosing the largest branch in the meanwhile?

The best thing you can do right away to improve your landscaping is get rid of it. If you take out the largest leaner, you'll have four leaners instead of five. Not much of an improvement.
Mike

if moving.. i understand the avoidance on replacement ...

but you should still get rid of it ...

i cant see tying it with twine.. strung around it like a candycane stripe.. up and down.. and an 8 foot stout stake to force it straight.. as any kind of benefit ..

as in a prospective buyer saying... boy that looks nice ... i want this immediate problem ...

ken

ha, ken, when you put it like that... :)

SC gave me a couple arb suggestions; any non-arb suggestions for the space? need another pic or two?

The only arb in SC's list is Degroot's Spire. Check out the others. They are spruces, and all are stunning. Picea glauca 'Pendula' is the easiest of the 3 suggestions, considering you won't live here, just because it won't require staking up for height like the other 2.

did i miss where you are, ace????

might matter as to suggestions ...

ken

Ken, I'm in SE PA (zone 6).

Sorry wannabe, but I'm a garden noob an didn't mean 'arb' (a little bit of knowledge...). Rather, any non-conifer suggestions?

Thanks, all!