Group of 3 Cheer Drops™ Arborvitae (Thuja) shrubs or small trees in a garden hedge
Cheer Drops Arborvitae with green foliage in a trial foliage.
Tear drop-shaped Cheer Drops Arborvitae in a trial garden.
A row of Cheer Drops thuja in a landscape.
Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs logo
1/5
Group of 3 Cheer Drops™ Arborvitae (Thuja) shrubs or small trees in a garden hedge
Cheer Drops Arborvitae with green foliage in a trial foliage.
Tear drop-shaped Cheer Drops Arborvitae in a trial garden.
A row of Cheer Drops thuja in a landscape.
Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs logo
All media depicts mature plants.

Cheer Drops™ Arborvitae (Thuja)

Shrub

  • Adorable arborvitae that grows naturally in a teardrop shape.
  • Provides privacy and interest year-round.
  • Cold hardy! Tolerant down to USDA zone 3.
  • Zones 3-8, sun/part sun, 18′ tall x 8′ wide at maturity.
  • ZONE
  • EXPOSURE
  • HEIGHT

More info on plant sizes

Size: One Quart
$34.00
Sale: $34.00 Each
Total: $34.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Notify Me When Available
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee
Hand-Picked at Our Greenhouse
Shipped to Your Door
Arrives as a Young Plant
60 Day Risk-Free Guarantee

Description

Cheer Drops™ arborvitae (Thuja hybrid) may just about be the most delightful thuja on the market, even rivaling the adorable Tater Tot®. Growing in a charming teardrop-shaped habit, Cheer Drops™ is an interesting evergreen that's perfect for hedges and privacy screens, looking great in the landscape year-round. No maintenance or trimming is needed to enjoy its fun shape, making this cold-tolerant plant perfect for gardeners of any skill level. Add some fun and some privacy to your landscape with this unique arborvitae.

Details

Botanical Name: Thuja  occidentalis  'SMNTDGT'
Patent: PP 33,286
Common Name: Arborvitae
Zone: 3 – 8
Sun Exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x Width: 10-18′ tall and 6-8' wide
Foliage Color: Green
Season of Interest: Year-round
Features: Proven Winners, evergreen, container plants, winter interest
Uses: Specimen, hedge

How to Grow

Soil: Grow in any moist but well-draining soil. Avoid very wet sites; tolerates some dryness once established.
Light: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part-sun (4-6 hours sun)
Water: Average
Space: 8′ apart
Fertilizing: Apply a slow-release fertilizer in early spring if desired.
Winterizing: A good 2-3″ layer of mulch is recommended; Avoid extreme dry soil in autumn, which can cause the evergreen foliage to dry out in winter.
Maintenance: No pruning is required for Cheer Drops™to grow in its natural teardrop shape. It can be trimmed if desired.
Thuja fluffy shrub on a house landscape

Your Questions on Growing Arborvitae, Answered

Learn the best times to plant arborvitae, how to prevent arborvitae winter burn, whether you should trim arborvitae and everything else you need to know to grow and care for arborvitae like a pro.

Grow with confidence

Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag

Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.

Plant Spacing Calculator

ft
ft
in
Plants Needed
—
Enter your dimensions above
Grid preview will appear here showing preview
  • 5 stars: 1 (50%)
  • 4 stars: 1 (50%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
G
G.D. (Illinois)
Cute

Smaller than I had hoped, but cute and healthy so far

Hello! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if necessary.

C
C. (Pennsylvania)
Great Plants

Plants arrived in excellent condition, were planted immediately and are growing well. Definitely would recommend this company.

K
K.

Is this deer resistant?

Great Garden Plants

Arborvitae in general are known to be somewhat susceptible to deer browsing, depending on the local deer population and food availability. If deer are a concern in your area, it may be beneficial to consider additional protective measures.

S
S.E.

How big is this arborvitae when it arrives at my house?

Great Garden Plants

Hi! Plant size varies widely depending on the variety that you purchase and the time of year. The important thing when it comes to purchasing plants, whether online or in a garden center, is that they have a full, robust root system, and that's what we prioritize in our growing. The more roots a plant has, the more energy it can put into growing once it is planted in your garden.

J
J.C.

How far apart/spacing when planted should be between plants for privacy screening?

Great Garden Plants

Hello! We suggest planting the Cheer Drops™ Arborvitae around 8 feet apart.

S
S.

Can the cheer drop be planted now in central Alberta ?

Great Garden Plants

We recommend fall planting be done at least 6 weeks before the first hard frost in your area. Below is a link to our guide to fall planting for more information.

https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/our-guide-for-fall-planting/

j
j.

What is the expected annual growth rate for the Cheer Drop Arborvitae?

Great Garden Plants

Thank you for contacting us! In general, we say it takes 5-9 years for shrubs to reach maturity. It may be shorter for smaller cultivars or even longer for larger ones. With proper care and optimal growing conditions this plant will grow to 18 feet tall and 18 feet wide at maturity over time.