diff --git a/datafusion/src/physical_plan/datetime_expressions.rs b/datafusion/src/physical_plan/datetime_expressions.rs
index 59a93481cda3..7e965f6b6c56 100644
--- a/datafusion/src/physical_plan/datetime_expressions.rs
+++ b/datafusion/src/physical_plan/datetime_expressions.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ use arrow::{
     array::*,
     compute::cast,
     datatypes::{DataType, TimeUnit},
+    scalar::PrimitiveScalar,
     types::NativeType,
 };
 use arrow::{compute::temporal, temporal_conversions::timestamp_ns_to_datetime};
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ use chrono::prelude::{DateTime, Utc};
 use chrono::Datelike;
 use chrono::Duration;
 use chrono::Timelike;
+use std::convert::TryInto;
 
 /// given a function `op` that maps a `&str` to a Result of an arrow native type,
 /// returns a `PrimitiveArray` after the application
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ where
 // given an function that maps a `&str` to a arrow native type,
 // returns a `ColumnarValue` where the function is applied to either a `ArrayRef` or `ScalarValue`
 // depending on the `args`'s variant.
-fn handle<'a, O, F, S>(
+fn handle<'a, O, F>(
     args: &'a [ColumnarValue],
     op: F,
     name: &str,
@@ -90,7 +92,6 @@ fn handle<'a, O, F, S>(
 where
     O: NativeType,
     ScalarValue: From<Option<O>>,
-    S: NativeType,
     F: Fn(&'a str) -> Result<O>,
 {
     match &args[0] {
@@ -117,14 +118,13 @@ where
             ))),
         },
         ColumnarValue::Scalar(scalar) => match scalar {
-            ScalarValue::Utf8(a) => {
-                let result = a.as_ref().map(|x| (op)(x)).transpose()?;
-                Ok(ColumnarValue::Scalar(result.into()))
-            }
-            ScalarValue::LargeUtf8(a) => {
-                let result = a.as_ref().map(|x| (op)(x)).transpose()?;
-                Ok(ColumnarValue::Scalar(result.into()))
-            }
+            ScalarValue::Utf8(a) | ScalarValue::LargeUtf8(a) => Ok(match a {
+                Some(s) => {
+                    let s = PrimitiveScalar::<O>::new(data_type, Some((op)(s)?));
+                    ColumnarValue::Scalar(s.try_into()?)
+                }
+                None => ColumnarValue::Scalar(ScalarValue::new_null(data_type)),
+            }),
             other => Err(DataFusionError::Internal(format!(
                 "Unsupported data type {:?} for function {}",
                 other, name
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ fn string_to_timestamp_nanos_shim(s: &str) -> Result<i64> {
 
 /// to_timestamp SQL function
 pub fn to_timestamp(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
-    handle::<i64, _, i64>(
+    handle::<i64, _>(
         args,
         string_to_timestamp_nanos_shim,
         "to_timestamp",
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ pub fn to_timestamp(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
 
 /// to_timestamp_millis SQL function
 pub fn to_timestamp_millis(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
-    handle::<i64, _, i64>(
+    handle::<i64, _>(
         args,
         |s| string_to_timestamp_nanos_shim(s).map(|n| n / 1_000_000),
         "to_timestamp_millis",
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ pub fn to_timestamp_millis(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
 
 /// to_timestamp_micros SQL function
 pub fn to_timestamp_micros(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
-    handle::<i64, _, i64>(
+    handle::<i64, _>(
         args,
         |s| string_to_timestamp_nanos_shim(s).map(|n| n / 1_000),
         "to_timestamp_micros",
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ pub fn to_timestamp_micros(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
 
 /// to_timestamp_seconds SQL function
 pub fn to_timestamp_seconds(args: &[ColumnarValue]) -> Result<ColumnarValue> {
-    handle::<i64, _, i64>(
+    handle::<i64, _>(
         args,
         |s| string_to_timestamp_nanos_shim(s).map(|n| n / 1_000_000_000),
         "to_timestamp_seconds",
diff --git a/datafusion/src/physical_plan/mod.rs b/datafusion/src/physical_plan/mod.rs
index c9fe567253bf..52ce6d3ad311 100644
--- a/datafusion/src/physical_plan/mod.rs
+++ b/datafusion/src/physical_plan/mod.rs
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ pub enum Distribution {
 }
 
 /// Represents the result from an expression
-#[derive(Clone)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum ColumnarValue {
     /// Array of values
     Array(ArrayRef),
diff --git a/datafusion/src/scalar.rs b/datafusion/src/scalar.rs
index bbe951fa53af..84af5528b825 100644
--- a/datafusion/src/scalar.rs
+++ b/datafusion/src/scalar.rs
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@
 use std::{convert::TryFrom, fmt, iter::repeat, sync::Arc};
 
 use crate::error::{DataFusionError, Result};
-use arrow::scalar::Scalar;
 use arrow::{
     array::*,
     buffer::MutableBuffer,
     datatypes::{DataType, Field, IntervalUnit, TimeUnit},
-    types::days_ms,
+    scalar::{PrimitiveScalar, Scalar},
+    types::{days_ms, NativeType},
 };
 use ordered_float::OrderedFloat;
 use std::cmp::Ordering;
@@ -421,6 +421,25 @@ macro_rules! eq_array_primitive {
 }
 
 impl ScalarValue {
+    /// Create null scalar value for specific data type.
+    pub fn new_null(dt: DataType) -> Self {
+        match dt {
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Second, _) => {
+                ScalarValue::TimestampSecond(None)
+            }
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Millisecond, _) => {
+                ScalarValue::TimestampMillisecond(None)
+            }
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Microsecond, _) => {
+                ScalarValue::TimestampMicrosecond(None)
+            }
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Nanosecond, _) => {
+                ScalarValue::TimestampNanosecond(None)
+            }
+            _ => todo!("Create null scalar value for datatype: {:?}", dt),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Getter for the `DataType` of the value
     pub fn get_datatype(&self) -> DataType {
         match self {
@@ -1272,6 +1291,35 @@ impl TryInto<Box<dyn Scalar>> for &ScalarValue {
     }
 }
 
+impl<T: NativeType> TryFrom<PrimitiveScalar<T>> for ScalarValue {
+    type Error = DataFusionError;
+
+    fn try_from(s: PrimitiveScalar<T>) -> Result<ScalarValue> {
+        match s.data_type() {
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Second, _) => {
+                let s = s.as_any().downcast_ref::<PrimitiveScalar<i64>>().unwrap();
+                Ok(ScalarValue::TimestampSecond(Some(s.value())))
+            }
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Microsecond, _) => {
+                let s = s.as_any().downcast_ref::<PrimitiveScalar<i64>>().unwrap();
+                Ok(ScalarValue::TimestampMicrosecond(Some(s.value())))
+            }
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Millisecond, _) => {
+                let s = s.as_any().downcast_ref::<PrimitiveScalar<i64>>().unwrap();
+                Ok(ScalarValue::TimestampMillisecond(Some(s.value())))
+            }
+            DataType::Timestamp(TimeUnit::Nanosecond, _) => {
+                let s = s.as_any().downcast_ref::<PrimitiveScalar<i64>>().unwrap();
+                Ok(ScalarValue::TimestampNanosecond(Some(s.value())))
+            }
+            _ => Err(DataFusionError::Internal(
+                format!(
+                    "Conversion from arrow Scalar to Datafusion ScalarValue not implemented for: {:?}", s))
+            ),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl TryFrom<&DataType> for ScalarValue {
     type Error = DataFusionError;