The many cultivars of arborvitaes of home gardening have been so extensively bred and selected that only the foliar texture resembles that of their ancestors. ‘Emerald Green’ which is also known by its Danish name ‘Smaragd’, is a cultivar of arborvitae that was developed from the white cedar, Thuja occidentalis,which grows wild from Minnesota to New Brunswick, as a forty foot tall tree!
‘Emerald Green’ grows quite fast while young, but should get no taller than about fifteen feet, and no wider than about four feet. It is one of the best columnar arborvitaes for tall hedging. Although they can be shorn, they are so dense and uniform that they are at their best if only occasionally trimmed of stray stems, or to keep taller specimens from getting too much taller than shorter ones.
The tiny evergreen scale leaves are tightly arranged on vertically arranged flat foliar sprays. Foliage is quite dense, and softer than that of most other conifers. A bit of shade is tolerable, but too much compromises foliar density. Bloom is barely noticeable, and seeded cones are not much to look at. The shaggy ruddy brown bark is handsome but seldom seen on well foliated specimens.
Tony Tomeo 
You see a lot of it used as screening in New England and it is effective.
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I notice it more in the Northwest than here, probably because pittosporum do not grow that far north..
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We were borderline for pittosporum in Virginia but I was successful with some varieties. I love saying ‘pittosporum.’ Ha.
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The pronunciation of it is still controversial.
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I’m not a fan of conifers but these are rather neat. I can see they would be useful
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I typically like junipers, but none of them are as effecient and neat as these arborvitae are.
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Yes sky rocket is popular here
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That is one of my FAVES! It is uncommon, but could be much more common. Junipers still have quite the stigma.
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It is rather fashionable here, used by designers. Maybe it’s going to become more trendy where you are.
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It seems to be getting more popular, especially in the Santa Cruz Mountains where it is compatible with the landscape style. It became available here later than in other regions, seemingly years after it was common in the Portland Region.
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So a case of better late than never
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When I saw it near Portland so many years ago, I thought it was a rad hedge, but figured that it was not available here because it would not be happy in the dry air. It got here later, but I suppose better than never.
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