How to Reproduce Arborvitae Plants

The Thuja genus of trees has five species collectively known as arborvitae. They are conifers in the cypress family that include trees native to North America, such as northern white cedar and western red cedar. Arborvitae typically produce dense foliage and have upright forms, making them popular in landscaping, especially as hedges. They reproduce easily from seed and are generally hardy in areas where the lowest temperature during the winter is between minus 20 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

Tweezers
Plastic bag
Paper towels
Seed tray
Potting soil
Mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Gather seed cones that drop from arborvitae trees in the fall. Shake the seeds from the seed cones or extract them with tweezers, if necessary.
- 2
  Line a plastic bag with damp paper towels and place the seeds in the bag. Seal the plastic bag and store it in a refrigerator for at least two months. Arborvitae seeds require this cold stratification period to germinate.
- 3
  Fill a seed tray with potting soil. Remove the arborvitae seeds from the plastic bag and plant them in the tray at a depth of about 1/2 inch. Keep the seed tray indoors in a sunny window. Water the seed tray with 1 inch of water per week so the soil remains moist but not wet.
- 4
  Select an outside permanent planting site with fertile soil and good drainage. Remove the arborvitae seedlings from the seed tray after the last expected frost when they reach a height of at least 6 inches. Place the seedlings in the planting site at the same level as they were in the seed tray.
- 5
  Water the arborvitae seedlings with 1 to 2 inches of water per week during the first growing season. Apply a 2-to-3-inch layer of mulch around the tree during the following spring. Keep the mulch several inches away from the trunk.

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