Arborvitae for Shade Screening? Better Alternatives

Arborvitae (Thuja) prefers sun; in shade it thins out. For a 10–12 ft screen in shade, consider:

• Hollies (Ilex ‘Nellie R. Stevens’, ‘Emily Bruner’) – shade tolerant, dense, 10–15 ft.
• Yews (Taxus ‘Hicksii’, ‘Capitata’) – deep shade tolerant, slow but dense.
• Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Otto Luyken’, ‘Schipkaensis’) – fast, shade OK, 10–12 ft.
• Leatherleaf Viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum) – evergreen, shade, 10–15 ft.

Specify your region for precise recommendations. “10–12 ft” is large shrub/small tree territory—few true trees stay that short.