Pancake™ Arborvitae (3 Gallon)

Thuja occidentalis ‘Concesarini’

Add soft evergreen texture to the landscape with Pancake™ Arborvitae, a distinctive low-growing arborvitae with a broad, flattened habit that stays much shorter than traditional upright varieties.

Its dense green foliage creates a neat, cushion-like mound, making it a great choice for foundation beds, borders, mass plantings, low hedges, and layered evergreen landscapes. Pancake is especially useful where you want year-round structure without adding a lot of height.

Plant at a Glance

Botanical Name: Thuja occidentalis ‘Concesarini’
Common Name: Pancake™ Arborvitae
Plant Type: Dwarf evergreen shrub
Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Evergreen or Deciduous: Evergreen
USDA Hardiness Zones: Generally 3–7, with best performance in cooler climates
Mature Height: Approximately 1–2 feet tall
Mature Width: Approximately 3–4 feet wide
Growth Habit: Very low, broad, flattened and mounding
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Moderate
Foliage: Soft green evergreen foliage
Flowers: Not ornamentally significant
Bloom Season: No significant ornamental bloom season
Primary Feature: Extremely low-growing evergreen form

Why We Love Pancake Arborvitae

Pancake has a very different shape from the tall, narrow arborvitaes most people know.

Instead of growing upright, it stays low and wide, creating a soft evergreen layer near the front or middle of a landscape bed.

That makes it especially useful for adding structure around taller shrubs without blocking windows or creating too much vertical mass.

Sunlight Requirements

Plant Pancake Arborvitae in:

Full sun to part shade

For the densest growth, give it approximately 5–6 or more hours of sunlight per day.

Some afternoon shade can be beneficial in hotter climates, especially where reflected heat is intense.

Watering

Immediately After Planting

Water deeply after planting to thoroughly moisten the root ball and surrounding soil.

First Growing Season

Water approximately 1–2 times per week, adjusting for:

• Rainfall
• Temperature
• Soil drainage
• Sun exposure

Newly planted arborvitae should not be allowed to dry out completely while establishing.

Once Established

Water during prolonged dry periods.

Pancake prefers evenly moist soil but does not perform well in constantly saturated conditions.

Deep, less-frequent watering is better than shallow daily irrigation.

Fertilization

Fertilize in early spring as new growth begins.

Use a balanced, slow-release evergreen or shrub fertilizer according to package directions.

Avoid excessive fertilizer. This is naturally a compact plant, and heavy feeding is unnecessary.

Planting Instructions

1. Water the plant thoroughly before planting.
2. Choose a location with full sun to part shade.
3. Dig a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball, but no deeper.
4. Carefully remove the plant from its nursery container.
5. Gently loosen tightly circling roots.
6. Position the plant so the top of the root ball sits level with or slightly above the surrounding soil.
7. Backfill with the existing soil.
8. Water deeply to settle the soil around the roots.
9. Apply approximately 1–2 inches of mulch or pine straw.
10. Keep mulch pulled slightly away from the main stems.

Soil

Pancake Arborvitae performs best in:

Moist, well-drained soil
Moderately fertile garden soil
Slightly acidic to neutral soil

Good drainage is important.

Avoid planting in low areas where water stands after rain.

Pruning & Maintenance

Very little pruning is normally needed.

Pancake naturally develops a broad, flattened shape, which is its main ornamental feature.

If light shaping is needed, prune in late winter or early spring before new growth begins.

Avoid heavy shearing, which can damage the natural texture of the plant.

Does Pancake Arborvitae Flower?

Pancake Arborvitae is not grown for flowers.

Any flowers or cones are small and inconspicuous.

Its ornamental value comes almost entirely from its:

Evergreen foliage
Low mature height
Broad spreading habit
Year-round structure

Evergreen or Deciduous?

Evergreen.

Pancake keeps its foliage throughout the year, providing dependable winter structure.

Some arborvitae may develop a slightly bronzed tone during colder winter weather. This is usually normal and fresh green growth returns in spring.

Performance in Southeast Georgia

This is an important consideration for our area.

Pancake Arborvitae is best adapted to cooler USDA zones, and our hot, humid Zone 8b/9a climate can be more challenging than its preferred range.

In southeast Georgia, choose the planting site carefully.

For the best chance of success:

• Provide morning sun and afternoon shade
• Avoid hot western exposures
• Keep soil evenly moist
• Provide excellent drainage
• Mulch the root zone
• Protect it from extreme reflected summer heat

Wright’s Market Recommendation

We would use Pancake Arborvitae in our area as more of a specialty plant for protected locations, rather than as a large-scale foundation shrub in full afternoon sun.

Landscape Uses

Pancake Arborvitae works well as a:

• Low foundation shrub
• Border plant
• Mass planting
• Evergreen accent
• Front-of-bed shrub
• Rock garden plant
• Low hedge
• Container accent
• Companion to taller shrubs

Its low habit makes it especially useful beneath windows and at the front of layered plantings.

Spacing

Allow approximately 3–4 feet of mature width.

Do not plant them too closely unless you intentionally want a continuous low mass.

Giving each plant adequate space allows its distinctive flattened habit to develop naturally.

Beautiful Plant Pairings

Pair Pancake Arborvitae with:

Evergreen Structure
Soft Touch® Holly
Babylon Beauty™ Boxwood
Pringles Dwarf Podocarpus
Vintage Jade® Distylium

Flowering Shrubs
Hydrangeas
White Encore® Azaleas
Gardenias
Drift® Roses

Soft Texture
Carex ‘Everillo’
Feather Falls Carex
Liriope
Ferns

Wright’s Market Designer Combination

Try:

Pancake Arborvitae + white hydrangeas + dark green evergreen shrubs + chartreuse Carex

The low evergreen mound adds structure without becoming too formal, while the softer flowering shrubs and grasses create movement around it.

Why Wright’s Market Loves It

We love Pancake™ Arborvitae because of its unusual shape.

It gives customers the evergreen structure they want without the tall, narrow form typically associated with arborvitae.

It is:

Evergreen
Very low growing
Broad and compact
Easy to maintain
Excellent for layering
Useful beneath windows

Wright’s Market Plant Tip

Think of Pancake Arborvitae as a wide evergreen cushion rather than an upright shrub.

Give it room to spread, and in southeast Georgia, protect it from the harshest afternoon sun.

Please note: Plant height, width, fullness, and foliage color vary by season and growing conditions. Nursery container plants are young plants and will continue developing toward their mature size after planting.