How to prune chinese arborvitae

Late winter to early spring; light trim again in late summer if needed. Shear or hand-prune outer growth to maintain the desired form, keeping cuts within live, leafy wood. Remove any dead or brown interior branches to improve airflow. A slight taper (wider at base) helps lower foliage stay healthy.

Once or twice annually for formal shapes; every 2 years for loose specimens. Chinese Arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis, syn. Thuja orientalis) handles light to moderate pruning well. Trim to shape in late winter before new growth flushes, or lightly again in late summer. It is often grown as a formal specimen or screen. Avoid hard cuts into old wood without foliage — while more tolerant than spruces, bare stems are slow to recover.

Shear or hand-prune outer growth to maintain the desired form, keeping cuts within live, leafy wood. Remove any dead or brown interior branches to improve airflow. A slight taper (wider at base) helps lower foliage stay healthy.