Getting To Know: Thuja plicata ‘Whipcord’ On Standard - Western Red Cedar - April 2026

There I was, wandering the parking log aisles of the big box store seasonal nursery where I see the usual suspects:  lots of arborvitae.  Green Giant Thujas.  Some pine trees.  The normal stuff they have every year.   But, if you look hard-enough, you can also find some interesting, far-less-common things that arrive at the beginning of the season.  

One of the 'I haven't seen that before' things was on a pallet in the evergreen section.  See it below:

What is this thing?  It is a lollipop.  Or...'on standard'.  Something grafted on a trunk.  And, it looks like a mop-head of evergreen needles.  I grabbed the tag and it is labeled as "Thuja Arb Whipcord STD 7 gallon".  

A search for [Whipcord Arborvitae] turns up a bunch of listings 

Iseli Nursery has this listing page up for the Whipcord Western Red Cedar (on Standard) along with their POS sign.  If they're selling it, that tells me something.  It is listed as an "Iseli Introduction". 


Here is their description:

The unusual foliage on this low, mop-head-like plant consists of long, thick, glossy tendrils that suggest Independence Day fireworks. Unlike the species, which is a giant forest tree, Thuja plicata ‘Whipcord’ has many branches that seem to explode upward and send sparks cascading in all directions. Green in summer, the foliage changes to bronze in winter, matching the richly colored wood. Every garden can accommodate the small, dynamic conifer (only about 5′ tall and 4′ wide) that demonstrates some deer resistance.

Hickory Hollow Nursery has this photo up on their site (from Iseli) that shows the Whipcord Arborvitae in situ - in a bed.   Plenty of 'wow' in this image below, right? 

Source via Hickory Hollow Nursery

Seems like something that can find a home in our front yard or backyard, right?