• Photo of Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' (Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup's)

Plant Profile: Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup'

Names

Holmstrup Arborvitae

  • Photo of Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' (Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup's)

Phonetic Spelling:THU-ya ock-sih-den-TAH-liss

Genus:Thuja

Species:occidentalis

Family:Cupressaceae

The Holmstrup Arborvitae is a coniferous evergreen belonging to the cypress family, indigenous to North America. This tree exhibits slow growth, typically reaching a height of 10 feet and a width of 2.5 feet over a span of 10 years. Its appealing foliage features scale-like leaves arranged in dense, horizontal sprays that maintain their vibrant color throughout the winter months. The tree has a slender, pyramidal form.

While it can adapt to a variety of soil conditions, it thrives best in moist, well-drained loamy soils and is not resistant to drought. This conifer is ideal for use in foundation plantings, as a hedge, or as a standout feature in smaller gardens. Additionally, it is known to be a food source for deer.

For further details on Thuja occidentalis, please refer to additional resources.

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Feature Summary

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Image Gallery

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Tags

#fragrant
#evergreen
#wildlife plant
#native tree
#fragrant leaves
#medicinal
#cover plant
#playground
#disease resistant
#food source
#cpp
#deer browsing plant
#bird friendly

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Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Feature Summary

Attributes
Uses (Ethnobotany):
Native Americans used this plant to prevent scurvy; the sap contains vitamin C. They shared this practice with French settlers, which gave rise to the name arborvitae, meaning tree of life. They also used this plant for canoes.
Wildlife Value:
Deer browse the foliage, which also provides cover and habitat for birds. Foliage is aromatic.
Play Value:
Fragrance
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Fruit
Fruit Description:
Seed cones are not showy
Leaves
Leaf Description:
Scale-like dense foliage in vertical sprays
Leaf Type:
Needles
Whole Plant Traits
Habit/Form:
Pyramidal
Dense
Texture:
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Light:
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Soil Drainage:
Good Drainage
NC Region:
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
3a
3b
Stem
Landscape
Landscape Theme:
Winter Garden
Design Feature:
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Bark
Bark Color:
Light Brown
Red/Burgundy

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Image Gallery

CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo of Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' - Form:Athantor
CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo of Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' - Foliage:Nucatum amygdalarum

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Attributes

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Uses (Ethnobotany)

Native Americans used this plant to prevent scurvy; the sap contains vitamin C. They shared this practice with French settlers, which gave rise to the name arborvitae, meaning tree of life. They also used this plant for canoes.

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Wildlife Value

Deer browse the foliage, which also provides cover and habitat for birds. Foliage is aromatic.

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Fruit

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Fruit Description

Seed cones are not showy

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Leaves

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Leaf Description

Scale-like dense foliage in vertical sprays

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Leaf Color

spa
Green

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Whole Plant Traits

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Cultural Conditions

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Stem

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Landscape

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' Bark

Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup': Bark Color

grass
Light Brown
grass
Red/Burgundy