What is the difference between Nigra and Green Giant Arborvitae?

11 years ago

What are the differences between nigra and green giant arborvitae? Is it that nigra stay a bit darker green in the winter, but green giant grow wider and taller and are generally tougher? Thank you.

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wisconsitom

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

Two different plants. 'Nigra' is a cultivar of Thuja occidentalis, or northern white cedar. 'Green Giant' is an interspecific hybrid of Thuja plicata, or western red cedar, and Thuja standishii, aka Japanese arborviatae. All such plants are commonly called arborviataes, an old Latin epithet meaning tree of life. Drinking tea made from the foliage of such plants saved early explorers from the disease scurvy, being high in vitamin C. Oh, should mention, none of these are true "cedars", that being yet another conifer grouping.

Read up on the characteristics-much info available online. And while what follows is opinion, it is the opinion of a lifetime lover of all things Thuja: I really hate 'nigra'. Multistemmed, the foliage doesn't hang right on the plant, there's just nothing I like about it. But please, I'm obsessive about this stuff! I would like GG if it was winter-hardy in the area whee I do my work, but it has proven not to be. I also much, much prefer the look of wild plants. Just straight species T. occidentalis is already a dense and rather slow-growing plant. What they've done with their selections, ie landscape cultivars, is taken that characteristic to an extreme. There are places for such, but like I said, I'm into something else.

Finally, where are you? That will have at least some bearing on what you end up using.

+oM

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Comments (12)

tommylicious
Original Author
11 years ago
thank you. southwest michigan, near the lake, zip 49129 we planted a green giant which is growing like gangbusters. we want to make a staggered screen out of them on another property line, but wondering about nigras as well.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
the short version of toms answer ...

is genetics.. thats the difference ...

and GG grow faster.. once established ...

here in MI ... your county soil conservation district offers many plants for wind breaks ... small and rather cheap ... and i used them many times along property lines ...

ken
wisconsitom
11 years ago
Yup. You'll have much better luck with the GG's there than I did up in Z4. Ken's got some real nice plantings on the other side of your state, and even though he might be in a higher hardiness zone than you-not sure without looking-you've got all that lake-effect snow I should think, and that'll be good for them. Just watch for the stray double leader. Doesn't happen a lot, but if you would let one develop, it would be more prone to breakage under snowload.

You might even be able to use straight Thuja plicata where you are. I'm not sure GG would be any better for your purposes.

+oM
Embothrium
11 years ago
Although described as and called Dark Green stock I have seen of 'Nigra' seemed to be differentiated primarily from other T. occidentalis cultivars by having a bluish tinge.
wisconsitom
11 years ago
Agree-it's just a slightly different tint. My distaste for it are mine alone. It's like a guy that's into classic cars......and maybe not real excited by an '82 Cavalier! No real way to explain, it just is.

+oM
Embothrium
11 years ago
Also seems to be structurally of the type like 'Wareana', that is those cultivars producing dense, spoon-like or ~squarish sprays.
tommylicious
Original Author
11 years ago
thank you. the primary goal is a large privacy screen. thank you for advice regarding the double leader.
Embothrium
11 years ago
The hybrid will be faster, larger (quite tall eventually) and denser.
wisconsitom
11 years ago
Yes^. And at the end of the day, those two you ask about are simply not the only options. I like straight-species Thuja occidentalis (also native where you are) myself, although if I were working in a slightly milder climate-like yours, for instance-I might well elect to go with the GG's Nice plants, just not winter-hardy enough for up here.

+oM
jcerrimd
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Which Arborvitae would do better in Northern New Jersey area with very cold winters and very hot humid summers, Thuja occidentalis or Thuja Green Giant? Which would also be better for privacy and sound protection?
krsusa1
4 years ago
I planted GG and some Nigra and some Emarald greens in South Jersey. GG are the best as they are dense and grow fast and easy to take care of and can tolerate shade. So for privacy they are best and is also deer resistant