Whipcord’ arborvitae (Thuja plicata ‘Whipcord’) is a cool, quirky dwarf conifer that has been on my wishlist for quite some time. Instead of the usual flattened sprays of foliage, this lovable mutant form of our native western arborvitae, or western red cedar, sports a mop top of long, skinny, green rat tails. It tops out at around 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, making it easy to integrate into modestly sized gardens.

I was smitten by ‘Whipcord’ the first time I saw it several years ago. I had second thoughts, however, after I noticed that some plants appeared to develop browning in their centers after growing in the landscape for a few years. ‘Whipcord’ won me back when I saw this good-sized specimen at the Cornell Farm display beds in the West Hills of Portland last summer. It was growing in a parking lot island, and it was perfect.