When to Plant Arborvitae in Oregon

Growing Arborvitae in Oregon: Complete Guide

Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is planted as nursery stock — a container-grown or bare-root plant from a garden center, not seed. Depending on your zone, the ideal spring window in Oregon falls between January 13, 2027 (Zone 9b) and March 28, 2027 (Zone 5b); early fall works too, once summer heat breaks.

Because Oregon stretches across 9 USDA hardiness zones (5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b), planting windows can shift by as much as six to eight weeks from one end of the state to the other. Gardeners in the warmer southern zones can start earlier, while those in cooler northern zones should wait until the zone table above shows their last frost has passed.

Arborvitae requires full sun to light shade and moderate; water well first year moisture. The Pacific Northwest's cool, wet springs delay soil warm-up; raised beds and black plastic mulch help jump-start the season.

For the most precise planting dates tailored to your exact location, enter your ZIP code on our planting calendar or use the zone table above to find the schedule for your area of Oregon.