What Size Emerald Cedar Should I Buy? 3 Ft vs 5 Ft vs 6 Ft vs 8 Ft vs 10 Ft
Choosing the right Emerald Cedar size depends on how much privacy you want now, your budget, the length of your hedge, and how established you want the finished landscape to look.
At Z Force Farm, we carry Emerald Cedars from 3 ft starter trees to large 11 ft trees for more immediate privacy. So which size should you choose? Here is a practical comparison based on the types of Emerald Cedar projects we regularly work with.
Emerald Cedar Size Comparison
| Size | Best For | Privacy Level | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Ft | Starter hedges & larger quantities | Low–Moderate | $ |
| 5 Ft | Budget-friendly privacy hedges | Moderate | $$ |
| 6 Ft | Residential privacy hedges | Good | $$ |
| 8 Ft | Faster privacy & taller screening | Very Good | $$$ |
| 10 Ft | Immediate tall screening | Excellent | $$$$ |
| 11 Ft | Maximum initial height | Excellent | $$$$ |
3 Ft Emerald Cedars: Best for Starting a New Hedge
3 ft Emerald Cedars are a practical choice when you are planting a long hedge and do not need immediate tall privacy. Because smaller trees are easier to handle and generally more economical, they can make sense for larger planting quantities.
Best choice if: keeping the initial project cost lower is more important than immediate height.
5 Ft Emerald Cedars: Good Balance of Size and Budget
5 ft Emerald Cedars provide noticeably more initial coverage than starter trees without moving into the cost and installation requirements of larger specimens. They work particularly well for residential property lines and backyard hedges where immediate full-height screening is not necessary.
Best choice if: you want a noticeable hedge now while keeping the project relatively budget-friendly.
6 Ft Emerald Cedars: A Popular Residential Privacy Size
For many homeowners, 6 ft Emerald Cedars offer one of the best balances between privacy, size and cost. At this height, the trees already provide meaningful screening while remaining easier to install than very large Emerald Cedars.
Best choice if: you want good privacy now without paying for an 8–10 ft hedge.
8 Ft Emerald Cedars: Faster Privacy
If privacy is your main priority, 8 ft Emerald Cedars create a much more established appearance immediately after planting. They are especially useful for screening neighbouring properties, backyard entertaining areas, pools, tall fences and larger homes.
At this size, spacing, grading and proper installation become increasingly important to achieving a consistent finished hedge.
Best choice if: you want substantial privacy without waiting for smaller trees to gain height.
10 Ft Emerald Cedars: Immediate Tall Screening
10 ft Emerald Cedars are an excellent choice when immediate height and visual screening are priorities. They can dramatically change the privacy of a property as soon as they are installed.
Z Force Farm recently completed a large privacy hedge using approximately 80 10 ft Emerald Cedars. Because the property had changing grades and slopes, tree positioning and grading were important parts of achieving a consistent finished appearance.
See Our 80-Tree Emerald Cedar Privacy Hedge Project
Best choice if: you have a larger property or want substantial screening immediately.
Shop 10 Ft Emerald Cedar Trees
11 Ft Emerald Cedars: Maximum Initial Height
11 ft Emerald Cedars are among the largest Emerald Cedars we carry. They are generally suited to properties where maximum initial height is important, including large residential properties, estate landscapes and areas requiring substantial privacy screening.
Trees of this size are heavy and more difficult to position correctly, so site access and installation should be considered before choosing them.
Best choice if: maximum height from the beginning is your priority.
Shop 11 Ft Emerald Cedar Trees
Should I Buy 6 Ft or 8 Ft Emerald Cedars?
Choose 6 ft Emerald Cedars when you want a good balance between privacy and budget and are comfortable allowing the hedge to mature. Choose 8 ft Emerald Cedars when privacy is more urgent and you want the hedge to look taller and more established immediately.
Neither size is automatically better. The right choice depends on your property, desired privacy level, total hedge length and budget.
Should I Buy 8 Ft or 10 Ft Emerald Cedars?
Choose 8 ft Emerald Cedars when you want substantial privacy while keeping the project more manageable. Choose 10 ft Emerald Cedars when immediate height is particularly important.
Tree width, fullness, spacing, grading and site elevation can be just as important as the advertised height of the tree.
Does a Taller Emerald Cedar Always Make a Better Privacy Hedge?
No. A successful Emerald Cedar hedge depends on more than height. Tree fullness, branch density, root condition, spacing, soil preparation, watering and installation all affect the finished hedge.
A healthy, full 6 ft tree can sometimes be a better choice than a taller but narrow tree. When comparing Emerald Cedars, look at both height and fullness.
How Far Apart Should Emerald Cedars Be Planted?
For many residential privacy hedge projects, Emerald Cedars are commonly planted approximately 2.5–3 ft centre-to-centre, depending on tree width, desired coverage and site conditions.
Closer spacing can provide faster visual coverage but requires more trees. Wider spacing requires fewer trees but takes longer to visually fill in.
Read Our Emerald Cedar Spacing Guide
How Many Emerald Cedars Do I Need?
A simple starting calculation is: Hedge length ÷ planting spacing = approximate number of trees.
For example, for a 100 ft hedge using approximately 2.5 ft spacing: 100 ÷ 2.5 = approximately 40 Emerald Cedars.
Which Emerald Cedar Size Is Best for Privacy?
3 ft — economical starter hedge
5 ft — budget-friendly residential hedge
6 ft — strong balance of privacy and cost
8 ft — faster, taller privacy
10 ft — substantial immediate screening
11 ft — maximum initial height
There is not one size that is best for every property. Consider how much privacy you need immediately, your total hedge length, your site conditions and your budget before choosing the tree size.
Emerald Cedar Delivery & Installation in Toronto
Z Force Farm supplies Emerald Cedars in multiple sizes and provides delivery and professional planting in Toronto, Markham, North York, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Scarborough and surrounding areas.
For larger Emerald Cedars, our installation team can help with layout, spacing, grading, planting and positioning.
Learn About Emerald Cedar Installation
Frequently Asked Questions
What size Emerald Cedar is best for a privacy hedge?
For many residential projects, 6 ft and 8 ft Emerald Cedars provide a good balance of initial privacy and project cost. Larger 10 ft and 11 ft trees are better when immediate tall screening is the priority.
Should I buy 6 ft or 8 ft Emerald Cedars?
Choose 6 ft if you want to balance privacy and budget. Choose 8 ft if you want a taller, more established privacy screen immediately.
Are 10 ft Emerald Cedars difficult to plant?
10 ft Emerald Cedars are considerably heavier than smaller trees. Access, equipment, grading and positioning become more important as tree size increases.
Is it better to buy taller Emerald Cedars?
Not necessarily. Tree fullness, quality, spacing and proper installation are also important. Height should be considered together with the overall quality of the tree.
Can I mix different Emerald Cedar sizes in one hedge?
Usually, similar sizes and grades create a more consistent hedge. Different sizes can sometimes be useful where the property grade changes or different areas require different levels of screening.
Does Z Force Farm deliver and plant Emerald Cedars?
Yes. Z Force Farm provides Emerald Cedar delivery and professional planting in Toronto, Markham, North York and surrounding service areas.