Anna's Magic Ball Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Anna van Vloten')
THOO-yah ox-ee-den-TAL-is 'Anna van Vloten'

Evergreen Perennial Shrub, Globe-Shaped in the Cupressaceae Family
A true miniature arborvitae: a dense, golden globe just 10-18 inches tall and wide.
Anna's Magic Ball arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis 'Anna van Vloten') is a dwarf, globe-shaped evergreen shrub discovered as a naturally occurring branch mutation on 'Danica' in a Canadian nursery in 1993. It forms a dense, rounded mound of ferny, scale-like foliage in bright chartreuse to gold, holding its color through the seasons with a moderate growth rate. At just 10-18 inches tall and wide at maturity, it is one of the smallest arborvitae cultivars available, well suited to small-space gardens, foundation plantings, rock gardens, and containers.

Pros

  • Dwarf, globe-shaped habit stays compact for decades with no shearing needed
  • Bright chartreuse-gold foliage holds its color through the growing season
  • Patented (PP#25,868) sport of 'Danica' with a tidier, more uniform shape
  • Great for small gardens, foundation plantings, and containers

Cons

  • Can scorch or bronze in harsh winter sun and wind
  • Like all arborvitae, a favorite browse plant for deer
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 10 - 18 inches tall. 10 - 18 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 2a - 7b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Edging, Evergreen, Foundation, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Asian Garden, Good for Borders, Good for Hedges, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rock Garden, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Nativar, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Allergenic, Rabbit Resistant, Shrub, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Well-Drained Soil, Winter Interest, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period Non-flowering
Flower Color Non-Flowering
Foliage Color
 

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Autumn Frost Hosta, Shadowland Coast to Coast Hosta, Sweet Caroline Bewitched Green With Envy Sweet Potato, Lemon Coral Stonecrop, ColorBlaze Lime Time Coleus,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 05/10

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!