Zone 4 · winter lows -30°F to -20°F
Thuja for Zone 4
32 Thuja varieties rated hardy through Zone 4, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 4 is short, intense seasons — plants here are the toughest in the catalog.
The Thuja that thrive in Zone 4
#1 most savedEmerald Green Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green'
#2 most savedDegroot's Spire Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot'
#3 most savedSmaragd Emerald Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd Emerald'

American Pillar Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'American Pillar'

Eastern Arborvitae Western Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Columbia'

Fire Chief Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Fire Chief'

Tater Tot Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'TATER TOT'

Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Mr Bowling Ball'

Oriental Arborvitae Pomona
Thuja orientalis 'Pomona'

Polar Gold Thuja
Thuja occidentalis 'Polar Gold'

Golden Globe Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Golden Globe'

Weeping Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Pendula'

Tator Tot Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Tator Tot'

Oriental Arborvitae
Thuja orientalis 'Conspicua'

Sunkist Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Sunkist'

Eastern Arborvitae Thin Man
Thuja occidentalis 'Thin Man'

Woodward Globe Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Woodward Globe'

Eastern Arborvitae Northern White Cedar
Thuja occidentalis

Wansdyke Silver American Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Wansdyke Silver'

Little Giant Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Little Giant'

Sherwood Frost Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Sherwood Frost'

Eastern Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Sting'

Yellow Ribbon Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon'

Primo Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Primo'
Showing the 24 most-saved of 32 Zone 4–hardy Thuja varieties. See the full Thuja list →
Thuja in Zone 4
Will Thuja survive a Zone 4 winter?
32 of the 49 Thuja varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 4, where winter lows reach -30°F to -20°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Thuja in Zone 4?
In Zone 4 the last spring frost typically lands around mid-May and the first fall frost around late September. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Thuja is best for Zone 4?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
Keep exploring
See Thuja in your Zone 4 yard
Snap a photo of your space and Sow places these varieties in it at true mature size — then keeps the care schedule for everything you plant.