A Simple Guide to Buying Cedars for Your Lower Mainland Hedge

Today’s blog is intended to give you an overall look at cedars for hedging on the Lower Mainland in the Vancouver area. On the Lower Mainland, the most common cedars used for hedging are Western Red Cedars and Emerald Cedars, and there are good reasons for this. 

Why Western Red Cedars and Emerald Cedars? 

Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), and Emerald Cedars (Thuja occidentalis “Smaragd”) are not true cedars within the genus Cedrus, but they are commonly referred to as cedars. These two trees/shrubs are common here because they do very well in our oceanic, Pacific Northwest conditions. 

Both are extremely hardy and grow fast. They have dense growth habits, are long lived, and are evergreen, so they will give you an excellent privacy wall in short order. They are also a “clean” choice in that they do not drop messy fruits or flowers like other shrubs. 

What’s the difference between them? 

The Western Red Cedar and the Emerald Cedar are similar and are closely related. The Western Red Cedar will get bigger and may require more pruning to keep it the shape you want. The Emerald Cedar is a slightly lighter and brighter green, and the Western Red Cedar can tolerate part shade. The Emerald Cedar really needs full sun to grow the best it can grow. 

For pruning, how much you prune depends on how neat and tidy you want them to be. Some people prune more and some prune less. The Western Red Cedar will probably need a little more pruning only because it is a larger variety, whereas the Emerald will stay somewhat more compact, and its pruning needs are minimal. Both are excellent choices for an evergreen hedge. 

For new cedar hedging, give us a call on the Lower Mainland at (778) 241-5664. This is our business and area of expertise. 

Pacific West Cedars, based in Langley, British Columbia, farms, supplies, and installs cedar hedging on the Lower Mainland. They offer two kinds of cedars plus boxwoods: Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata), and Emerald Cedars (Thuja occidentalis “Smaragd”). They work with landscapers, contractors, and also directly with the public. 

If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about cedars, we encourage you to call us at (778) 241-5664.