Thuja book description of the variety. Thuja: planting and care, reproduction and species. Varieties of spherical thuja

Plant thuja (lat. Thuja), or life tree, belongs to the genus of gymnosperms of coniferous plants of the Cypress family, like juniper, sequoia, taxodium, cypress and cypress. Thuja was brought to Europe from East Asia or America. Latin name The plant has an ancient Greek root meaning "sacrifice", "incense" - apparently, there is a connection between the name of the plant and the smell of aromatic thuja rocks ritually burned as incense. The genus includes 6 species, whose representatives sometimes live up to 150 years, although there are also much more mature specimens.

In addition to some species, about 120 varieties of plants are grown in the culture, differing in the color and quality of the needles and the shape of the crown. Thuja in landscape design is one of the basic plants and is grown as a tapeworm or in a group, and is also used to decorate alleys, borders, and create hedges.

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Planting and caring for thuja (in short)

• Landing: it is possible in the fall, but more reliable in the spring.
• Bloom: the plant is grown as an ornamental deciduous plant.
• Lighting: bright light in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon.
• The soil: nutritious, sandy or loamy.
• Watering: sprinkling method. Newly planted seedlings are watered every week, adults a little less often. Water consumption - from 10 to 50 liters per plant.
• Top dressing: spring, full mineral fertilizer. If you fertilized when planting, the plant is fed for the first time only after two years.
• Pruning: for sanitary purposes - it is better in the spring, and forming pruning for arborvitae is optional.
• Reproduction: specific plants can be propagated both vegetatively and by seeds, and varietal - only vegetatively: cuttings and dividing the bush.
• Pests: false shields and aphids.
• Diseases: brown shute, cytosporosis, fusarium.

Read more about growing thuja below.

Thuja tree - description

Thuja - evergreen shrubs or trees, sometimes in nature reaching 70 m in height with a trunk diameter of 6 m. In culture, thuja rarely grows above 11 meters. In young thuja, the needles are needle-shaped, soft, light green in color, while in adults the leaves are darker green, crosswise opposite, scaly. Tui are monoecious plants, their fruits are oval or oblong cones with flat seeds that ripen in the first year. Thuja is not capricious in care, smoke-resistant, cold-resistant, and such a species as western thuja tolerates even cold winters well.

Planting thuja

When to plant thuja

Before you plant a thuja, you need to choose a suitable site for it. Thuja is photophilous, however, from being in the sun for a whole day, it becomes dehydrated, and this leads to the fact that thuja does not tolerate winter well. Therefore, the place for the thuja should be bright, but at noon the sun should not fall on it. In addition, thuja does not tolerate drafts.

Soil for thuja is desirable nutritious- soddy land with the addition of sand and peat, although thuja grows on less rich soils - in marshy, sandy loam and clay. You can plant thuja in spring or autumn, but planting thuja in autumn does not give you confidence that the plant will have time to adapt in the open field before winter.

How to plant thuja

The size of the pit for the arborvitae depends on the size of the root system of the seedling - it should be 35-40 cm wider and 15-30 cm deeper than the earthen clod of the arborvitae. If you plant several plants, the distance between them, depending on the size of adult plants, is maintained from 1 to 5 m. When planting thuja along the alley, the distance between seedlings is kept at 3.5-4 m. A mixture of soil with a small amount of compost or well-rotted manure.

Before planting, the roots of the seedling should be kept in a container with water until air bubbles stop coming out. After that, put the tree in the center of the hole, straighten the roots, make sure that the root collar is just above the soil level, fill the hole with a good soil mixture, carefully and carefully compact it, being careful not to damage the base of the trunk, and water the seedling abundantly at the rate of 1.5 - 2 watering cans per plant. When the water is absorbed and the earth settles slightly, mulch the trunk circle with wood chips, peat, compost or pine bark - the mulch will protect the thuja roots from too hot or too hot. cold weather and retain moisture in the soil longer.

However, do not allow the mulch to cover the trunk or lower branches of the plant - they can get wet under the mulch.

Thuja care in the garden

How to grow thuja

Thuja is very responsive to watering, especially she likes sprinkling. In the first weeks after planting, thuja seedlings are watered weekly at the rate of 10-50 liters of water per seedling, depending on its size. If you arrange sprinkling for young plants, this will not only moisten the soil and water the roots of the thuja, but also wash off the dust from the needles, the stomata of the leaves will open, and it will become much easier for the plant to breathe, respectively, all physiological processes will proceed faster. After watering, the soil around the thuja is loosened, but not deeper than 8-10 cm, since the root system of the plant is superficial.

Thuja is fed in the spring with complex mineral fertilizer, for example, Kemira-universal solution at the rate of 50-60 g per m². If you fertilized the soil when planting, then the next time you need to feed the plant will only be after two years.

Thuja responds well to pruning - the more often and stronger it is cut, the thicker and more magnificent it becomes. There are no strict deadlines for pruning, but it is better to do this in the spring, before the buds open. If you grow a hedge from a thuja, then you have no choice: you want it, you don’t want it, but you have to cut it. A thuja growing as a solo plant will need at least sanitary and thinning pruning. But if the thuja grow in a group, you will have to form their crowns, otherwise they will look messy.

Start forming the crown when the plants have already grown to the size you need. Sometimes one haircut a year is enough - in the spring, but usually there is a need for re-pruning - in late summer or early autumn. Some forms need constant adjustment of the crown, but no more than one third of the shoot can be cut at a time, otherwise the plant may weaken. The first pruning of the thuja is carried out no earlier than at 2-3 years of age. Use a sharp, powerful pruner for cutting so that it does not chew the shoots and does not leave dents on them.

That's like all the information on how to care for thuja. As you can see, planting and caring for a thuja will not take you much time, but the healthy appearance of this elegant evergreen plant will certainly make your garden more beautiful.

Tui transplant

For various reasons, we sometimes have to transplant already mature plants from one place to another. Conifers are easy enough to transplant if you know how to do it. Around medium-sized plants, you need to pierce the soil in a circle with a sharp shovel at a distance of 40-50 cm from the trunk, then carefully pry the plant along with the near-stem area outlined by a circle, remove it from the soil, transport it to a new place with a wheelbarrow, trying not to destroy the earthen lump, and immediately to plant. Larger plants need to be bayoneted a year before transplanting, so that they have time to grow new young roots inside an earthen clod limited by a circle - as a result, the earth will not fall apart when removed, and transportation will be painless for the plant. In a new place, thuja takes root easier than other coniferous plants.

Pests and diseases of thuja

Thuja is prone to such fungal diseases as brown shutte, fusarium and cytosporosis, which affect the shoots and needles of the plant. In the fight against them, treatment with Bordeaux liquid or Kartocide is used - thuja treatment begins in the spring and is repeated every two weeks until the thuja recovers.

Tui reproduction

How to propagate thuja

Thuja reproduces both generatively and vegetatively. If you propagate species thuja, then you can do it with seeds. But varieties and forms must be propagated vegetatively - by cuttings or by dividing the bush, since the thuja from seeds does not retain the varietal characteristics of the parent plants.

Propagation of thuja cuttings

Propagation of thuja by cuttings is carried out using lignified two-three-year-old shoots cut in June, 25-40 cm long or semi-lignified shoots current year 10 to 20 cm long. Thuja cuttings are not cut off, but torn off with a heel, the place of separation from the mother plant is treated with a solution of heteroauxin, planted to a depth of 1.5-2.5 cm in a mixture of equal parts of soddy soil, peat and sand, spilled into for disinfection with a warm solution of potassium permanganate, and cover the planting with plastic wrap.

For successful rooting of the cuttings, it is necessary to maintain high air humidity in the greenhouse without waterlogging the substrate, so the soil is not watered, but sprayed from a sprayer. As soon as the cuttings take root, they begin to ventilate and gradually harden until it is time to remove the film. With the onset of late autumn, the cuttings are covered with dry leaves, sawdust, and preferably spruce branches, and if the temperature drops to -5-7 ºC, a film is thrown over the spruce branches.

Growing thuja from seeds

In order to grow thuja from seed, you will need from three to five years. You need to sow only freshly harvested thuja seeds, having previously subjected them to natural stratification from autumn to spring under snow or in the refrigerator. In spring, the seeds are sown in beds in partial shade, to a depth of only 0.5 cm, and lightly sprinkled with sawdust of coniferous trees. Then the crops are covered from the sun with shields, and the soil is kept loose and slightly moist all the time. After the emergence of seedlings, the site is mulched with peat.

Twice a month, seedlings are fed with a solution of complete mineral fertilizer. During the first season, seedlings usually grow up to 7-8 cm. Young arborvitae are covered with spruce branches for the winter, and on top with a film. next spring the shelter is removed, and the seedlings are looked after, as last year - they mulch the soil, water, remove weeds and feed. On the third spring, when the plants reach a height of 50 cm, they are planted on permanent place.

Thuja in the country in winter

Thuja in autumn

In the fall, both watering and feeding the thuja are stopped, since the plant must prepare for a dormant period.

How to cover thuja

Young plants that are under five years old should be covered with spruce branches for the winter. Before you cover the thuja for the winter, it is highly spudded, and the trunk area is mulched with a thick layer of peat. Mature plants hibernate without shelter, but it is necessary to mulch the area around them.

wintering thuja

If too much snow falls in winter, it can break the dense crown and branches of even an adult large thuja. To prevent this from happening, thujas are tied with twine for the winter. At the end of winter, so that the thuja does not suffer from a strong spring sun, a non-woven covering material is thrown on it. Sometimes, from sudden changes in temperature in winter, cracks form on the bark of the thuja. In the spring they are covered with garden pitch and the bark is tightly pulled together so that the wounds heal.

Types and varieties of thuja

Thuja western (Thuja occidentalis)

When we talk about cultural thuja, we first of all mean the type of western thuja - it is it that is represented in our gardens, parks and squares by a huge number of its varieties, forms and varieties. In Europe, it was introduced into culture in the 16th century. Large specimens of this species reach a height of 8-12 m. Western thuja is a long-liver among trees, it can live up to a thousand years. At a young age, it is a pyramidal tree, later the shape of the crown becomes ovoid.

For landscaping, plants of a pin-shaped, cone-shaped or columnar shape are usually used. For example:

• thuja brabant- a tree 15-21 m high with a conical crown shape with a diameter of 3-4 m. The bark is exfoliating, gray-brown or reddish. The needles are green, scaly. Thuja cones of this variety are oblong-ovate, brown, up to 12 mm long;
• thuja Smaragd- This is a squat variety up to 2 m high with a cone-shaped crown and weak branching. On vertically arranged shoots, glossy evergreen branches are far from each other. Planting and caring for the Smaragd thuja is carried out in accordance with the recommendations in this article. The variety is in great demand.

Among the group of varieties with a spherical crown shape, the most famous are:

• thuja Danica- a dwarf form of thuja of Danish selection with a gray-brown or reddish exfoliating bark, thick, soft, shiny green scaly needles, which acquire a brownish tint in winter;
• thuja woodward- spherical thuja of dwarf size - not higher than 2.5 m with a crown diameter of 5 m. Its shoots and branches are straight and flat. The needles are dark green.

Attract gardeners and varieties of cascading, filamentous form, which include:

• thuja Filiformis- a tree up to 1.5 m high with a dense rounded or wide cone-shaped crown, long filiform hanging shoots that almost do not branch. The young needles are light green, in winter it becomes brown.

Not so long ago, a heather-like form of thuja was bred, for example:

• thuja erikoides- no more than a meter high, reminiscent of juniper, with a rounded multi-apex wide-conical crown, numerous thin flexible shoots, straight or curved, and subulate soft needles, matt above, yellow-green, gray-green below. In winter, the needles turn brown.

A form was also developed with two types of needles on one plant - needle-shaped and scaly, with a strange growth of the crown: at the age of 8-10, it breaks up into several peaks and instead of one thuja, a group of plants is formed.

Thuja folded (Thuja plicata)

The culture also cultivates a species of thuja folded, or thuja giant, which grows naturally along the Pacific coast and is the highest mountain species of thuja. It reaches a height of 60 m with a trunk diameter of 3-4 m, although its achievements in culture are not so high. Thuja folded has several decorative forms, of which the most famous is Zebrina.

Thuja Korean (Thuja koraiensis)

is a wide shrub or tree up to 9 m high. The needles are elegant, whitish, almost silvery. However, this attractive plant needs shelter in winter.

Thuja Japanese (Thuja standishii)

grows in places natural habitat, in the mountains of Central Japan, up to 18 m in height, it has a wide cone-shaped crown with copper-red bark and branches silvery on the underside, which, when rubbed, smell of eucalyptus caramel and lemon. In cool areas, Japanese thuja grows slowly; in warm areas, growth accelerates noticeably.

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Family: cypress (Cupressaceae).

Homeland: North America, East Asia.

The form: coniferous trees and shrubs.

Description

Tui - symmetrical conical evergreen trees, with a dense crown. Thuja needles are dense, lying crosswise, scaly (there are also thuja with soft needles). All types of thuja are distinguished by a characteristic aromatic smell. Tui flowers and cones are invisible (or not formed at all). All types of thujas tolerate shearing well, therefore they are used in and in topiary art.

(T. occidentalis). Conical tree of medium size, up to 15-20 m high and 3-5 m wide. The branches of the western thuja are raised up. Thuja western grows slowly. Flowers greenish-yellow, inconspicuous. Thuja cones are reddish-brown. The needles of the western thuja are dark green, lighter below; due to cold weather, thuja becomes brownish in winter, and turns green in spring. Thuja western is sensitive to soil compaction; grows on any fertile substrates. The root system of the western thuja is superficial, branched, raises road surfaces. Thuja western prefers the sun or partial shade, thins in dense shade. In addition, western thuja prefers moist, cool areas, it is sensitive to high temperatures and drought. Thuja western winter-hardy, wind-resistant.

, or gigantic (T. plicata, gigantea, lobbii). Conical tree up to 15 m tall and 3-5 m wide, fast growing (up to 30 cm per year). The needles of the thuja are folded or giant, shiny, dark green, with white spots below, very fragrant. The root system is dense, superficial, branched. The thuja folded, as well as the western thuja, is winter-hardy, wind-resistant, does not tolerate high temperatures, and prefers humid areas.

Thuja Korean (T. koraiensis). Enough rare plant. Korean thuja is a wide shrub up to 9 m high. The bark is thin, red-brown, scaly. The needles of the Korean thuja are green on top and white below. A very decorative type of thuja. In addition, the Korean thuja is winter-hardy.

Thuja Japanese , or thuja Standish (T. standishii, japonica). Tall tree up to 18 m high. The bark of the Japanese thuja or Standish is reddish-brown, thin, leaves in paper-like stripes. The leaves of the Japanese thuja, or Standish, are green, and with white spots below. The smell of the needles of this type of arborvitae is sharp, similar to the smell of spruce resin.

Growing conditions

Tui are quite shade-tolerant, but in dense shade they thin out. Thuja grows well on any fertile, drained soils. When grown on poor soils, the branches of plants become faded, the needles thin out, and the arborvitae begin to bear fruit abundantly, which is not always very decorative. Tui are sensitive to high temperatures and droughts. There is a high probability of thuja sunburn in early spring. Thuja is planted at least at a distance of 0.5 m. Some thuja are planted at a distance of up to 3 or even 5 meters.

Application

Tui tolerate shearing well, so their use in landscaping is very wide. Tui are often planted along fences, or at the entrance to the house. from thuja is very decorative. Thuja is also used to create topiary forms. Thuja pyramidal and thuja columnar will become a good vertical accent in. Thuja dwarf can be used in rocky gardens. Thuja can be used in group and solitary plantings. Thuja in the garden will always take its rightful place. However, do not overload country cottage area thuami: nevertheless, these are plants alien to the flora middle lane Russia, they stand out strongly against the background of other plants, a large number of them will make the site gloomy.

Care

Thuja haircut in a hedge is moderate, it should not weaken the plant (no more than 1/3 of the shoot). thuja is carried out in the second or third year after planting, the tips of the top shoots are cut off from the plant, causing tillering. In the third year, the top shoots are trimmed at the thuja and begin to form the sides, cutting off the branches that protrude beyond the given dimensions. Regular shaping thuja cutting (thuja shaping) begins when the plant reaches the desired height. Thuja can be trimmed several times a year. It is recommended to water the thuja in the first month after planting, as well as during dry periods (2 times a week, at least 15 liters per plant). 2 years after planting the thuja, mineral fertilizers can be applied (in the spring). Tui are loosened shallowly (8-10 cm). For thuja, mulching (with peat or wood chips) with a layer of about 7 cm is also useful. Young thuja needs shelter in the first winter after planting. Adult thuja does not need shelter in winter. Tui transplantation is carried out in the spring.

reproduction

Tui reproduction is carried out seeds and vegetatively. Tui seeds ripen in autumn in the year of flowering. spring planting thuja is produced by stratified seeds. Reproduction of thuja seeds gives good material, but does not always guarantee compliance with the variety. Only some varieties of thuja repeat maternal characteristics, the rest form hybrids and forms similar to natural ones. Therefore, garden forms of thuja are propagated vegetatively.

Vegetative reproduction Tui is possible in three ways: division, horizontal and. Division is used when propagating multi-stemmed compact varieties. First, thuja (preferably a young specimen) is spudded to form additional roots, then, after the formation of roots, the plants are dug up and divided into independent specimens. If you spud thuja in the spring, then additional roots will appear by autumn, if in the summer - then in late spring - early summer the next year.

Reproduction by horizontal layering does not guarantee the preservation of the shape of the crown. Often, lopsided plants are obtained from rooted branches, and only with constant care and formation in the future they acquire a normal shape. The essence of the method is as follows: the branch of the mother plant is bent to the ground and lightly sprinkled with earth. Rooting takes place throughout the year.

cuttings suitable for all types of thuja, although their rooting speed is different. Optimal time for cuttings of thuja - spring before the start (or at the beginning) of the awakening of the kidneys. During summer cuttings (after hardening of young growths), the cuttings may not have time to form roots and freeze in winter.

Thuja seedlings and thuja seeds can be purchased at garden centers or order online.

Diseases and pests

Possible pests of thuja - bark beetle, spider mite, thuja and cypress aphids, scale insects. If the thuja turns yellow, then this may be the result of improper planting (strong deepening or exposure of the root collar), sunburn, or damage to the thuja by fungal diseases. Keep in mind that the thuja change the color of the needles with the onset of cold weather, and in the spring they turn green again, so if the thuja turns yellow, this is not necessarily a sign of thuja disease.

Popular varieties

The most popular varieties of thuja western

‘Aureospicata’, ‘Aurescens’. Small to medium trees, sometimes bushy; the crown is wide-conical. The needles of these varieties of thuja are golden yellow. ‘Aurea Nana’ is a dwarf form (up to 0.6 m tall). The needles are yellow-green, later - light green, brownish-yellow in winter.

‘Bodmeri’. Shrub up to 2.5 m tall with thick, fancy branches. The needles are dense, almost pressed, dark green. Thuja ‘Bodmeri’ looks especially good in group plantings.

‘Brabant’. One of the most popular varieties thuja western; conical, dense tree of medium size, 15-20 m high, up to 4 m wide. Thuja western ‘Brabant’ does not change color in winter, remains green throughout the year. The bark is reddish or grayish-brown, exfoliating. Thuja ‘Brabant’ grows rapidly (up to 30 cm per year).

‘Columna’. Slender columnar large shrub or a small tree. Thuja western 'Columna' grows slowly. The height of the variety is up to 10 m, the width is 1-1.5 m. Thuja ‘Columna’ retains its columnar shape. The needles are dark green, almost do not change color in winter.

‘Cristata’(Comb). Slender graceful tree up to 5 m tall with a rounded crown and short branches. The needles are gray-green.

‘Danica’. rounded, dwarf shrub(0.4-0.6 m high and up to 1 m wide). Thuja ‘Danica’ is a slow-growing variety of western thuja. The needles are dense, soft, green, slightly bronze in winter. The bark is reddish or grayish brown.

‘Ellegantissima’. Graceful tree up to 5 m tall with a wide-conical, dense crown. The needles are bright, shiny. The ends of the shoots are whitish. Suitable for group and solitary plantings on the lawn.

‘Europa Gold’. A compact, conical shrub that grows slowly. Height - 2-4 m, width - 1-1.5 m. Young shoots are golden yellow. The needles are orange when blooming, winter time retains color.

‘Fastigiata’(Equal high). Tree up to 15 m tall with a columnar crown. By appearance looks like a cypress. The branches are numerous, the needles are light or dark green. Fast growing variety. Planted in group or solitary plantings near houses.




‘Filiformis’(filamentous). Small shrub up to 1.5 m tall. The crown is dense, rounded. Shoots are long, hanging down. The needles are green, in winter - brown. This variety of thuja is planted in group plantings on the lawn, as well as in containers.

‘Globosa’. (Thuja spherical). Dwarf shrub up to 1.2 m tall and 1 m wide with a rounded crown. The needles are shiny, green, brown in winter. Thuja ‘Globosa’ is used in group and solitary plantings in rock gardens, in containers, for greening roofs. Thuja spherical low ‘Globosa Nana’ grows up to 30 cm. In winter, the needles become gray. More than other varieties need watering and shading. Thuja spherical low is suitable for rocky gardens, for the foreground of mixed flower beds.

‘Golden Globe’ . Shrub rounded with yellow needles.

‘Holmstrup’. Shrub up to 4 m tall and 1.5 m wide. Young trees have a columnar shape, old ones - narrowly conical, dense. The needles are green, do not change color. Slow growing variety.

‘Holmstrup’. Shrub up to 4 m high and up to 1 m wide with a conical crown shape. The bark is reddish or grayish-brown. This variety of thuja is undemanding to soil conditions, tolerates both dry soil and waterlogging, but fresh, fertile substrates will be the best for it. ‘Holmstrup Yellow’ is a variety with yellow needles.

'Little Gem'. Dwarf shrub up to 2 m wide with a flat-rounded crown. Rising branches. The needles are dark green and brown in winter. Suitable for rock gardens and hedges.

'Little Champion'. Dwarf form (up to 0.5 m), growing rapidly. The branches are straight, loose. The needles are green, in winter - brownish.

‘Smaragd’. One of the most popular and widespread varieties of thuja. Thuja ‘Smaragd’ reaches 2 m in height; squat form. Young trees of thuja ‘Smaragd’ have a slender, conical shape and grow slowly. Old trees are wide-conical. Thuja ‘Smaragd’ is growing fast. Thuja western ‘Smaragd’ reaches 5, sometimes 7 m in height and 1-2 m in width. The needles are green, retains color in winter. Reproduction of thuja - cuttings.

'Sunkist'. Large, dense, conical shrub. Thuja ‘Sunkist’ grows slowly. Height - 5-7 m, width - 2-3 (5) m. The needles of young trees are golden yellow, old trees are lemon yellow, and bronze in winter.

'Tiny Tim'. Rounded, dwarf shrub up to 1 m high, 1.5 m wide. The needles are green, bronze in winter. The shape is not as dense as that of the thuja variety ‘Danica’ and is somewhat larger.

‘Variegata’. A spectacular variety of thuja western with variegated needles (with yellow-white spots on a green background); the crown is dense, densely leafy.

‘Woodwardii’. Dwarf thuja with a spherical crown. The height of the variety is up to 2.5 m, the width is up to 5 m. The needles are dark green, do not change color. This western thuja variety is suitable for rocky gardens and lawn plantings.

Varieties of thuja folded or giant

Thuya Thya is a coniferous plant from the cypress family. There are five species of trees or shrubs in the genus, but in Russia, in ornamental gardening, the most popular type of Thuja western Thuja occidentalis, it comes from North America, came to Europe in 1536.

Description of thuja western

This is a slowly growing tree, reaching a height of 15-20 m, although taller specimens are also found in nature, but this is already a rarity. The crown of the western thuja is pyramidal or ovoid, in the original species it is rather spreading. The root system is compact.

The bark at a young age is brick-brown, smooth, with time it becomes gray-brown, in a tree with more than a decade of history, the bark on the trunk is in deep longitudinal cracks, fibrous.

The needles of the thuja are scaly, green and very small, 2-4 mm long, covering the branches like scales. The life of the foliage is a maximum of 2-3 years, then it falls off, but not one at a time, but in small branches, the crown is renewed gradually and imperceptibly. By winter, the needles discolor to yellowish-green or brown. The concept of "evergreen" for thuja is relative, if spruce or pine does not change the shade of needles at all in winter, then most varieties of western thuja color the garden in yellow, brownish or light green colors.

The flowers are not decorative - monoecious, apical, solitary. Cones are also small, about 1 cm long, ovoid. Each cone contains two yellow winged seeds.

The saw cut wood has a reddish hue, often interspersed with brown, yellow and red veins. The wood is soft and durable, does not contain resin, does not rot and could be an excellent furniture material, but has not found wide application - this is prevented by too slow mass growth and fibrous bark.

Peculiarities

Thuja is very popular not only in private gardens, but is also widely used for urban landscaping, as the plant is extremely unpretentious to the ecology of the city: it tolerates gas, dust and smoke well. It easily takes root after transplantation, lends itself well to pruning and shearing, some varieties do not require shape correction at all - they grow by themselves in a pyramid, ball or cone. In addition, the western thuja and its varieties are winter-hardy (frost resistance zones from 2b to 8b, this is about minus 36 ° C in winter without shelter).

Varieties and varieties of thuja western

The western thuja has several decorative forms:

• weeping
• columnar (pyramidal)
• hemisphere
• spherical

According to the color of the foliage (needles) of the variety:

• variegated (several color variations)
• with green leaves

By height:

• full-grown from 5 m and more
• semi-dwarf from 3 to 5 m
• dwarf - mature trees up to 3 m
• miniature - less than 3 m tall

In terms of frost resistance: there are varieties that freely tolerate winters in central Russia, there are varieties that require mandatory shelter.

Here are some cold hardy ones:

• Danica (Danica) - a miniature variety up to 60 cm or slightly higher in height, spherical in shape, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
• Globosa (Globosa) - a spherical miniature thuja, adult no more than 2 m, grows very slowly, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
• Golden Globe (Golden Globe) - semi-dwarf spherical, slow growth rate, very frost-resistant - climate zone 2b.
• Wagneri (Wagneri) - narrow-conical shape, semi-dwarf (up to 3.5 m), fast-growing, winter hardiness - 4 climatic zone.
• Woodwardy (‘Woodwardii) - semi-dwarf wide-round form, grows slowly, winter hardiness - 4 climatic zone.
• Hoseri (Hoseri) - spherical, fast-growing, up to 2 meters high, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
• Brabant (Brabant) - conical, fast-growing, the variety is similar to Smaragd, but the growth rate is 2-3 times higher, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
• Sunkist (Sunkist) - conical thuja of semi-dwarf growth, grows slowly, very frost-resistant - climatic zone 2b.
• Tiny Tim (Tiny Tim) - a miniature variety of thuja, no more than 1 m high, spherical in shape, grows slowly, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
• Holmstrup (Holmstrup) - conical semi-dwarf variety, grows slowly, winter hardiness - 3 climatic zone.
• (Smaragd) - a slow-growing columnar variety, 3-5 m high - frost resistance is average - if all the above named varieties can be grown in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals, then Smaragd freezes at temperatures below minus 25-26.

When choosing a variety, consider not only its size, shape and frost resistance, but also its general unpretentiousness. Some do not tolerate shading, even light partial shade, others do not tolerate long-term thaws in winter (with sudden temperature changes), as this provokes early sap flow. Some varieties practically do not need pruning, others need to be systematically pruned. There are varieties that are extremely sensitive to compaction of the soil surface, do not grow on pure loam, and require annual loosening and mulching.

Thuja western - a place in the garden

Varieties of western thuja are quite diverse not only in appearance, but also in needs. Among them there are varieties that are tolerant to the amount of sun, but most prefer to grow in full sun, if possible.

AT shady places the crown is formed loose, sometimes one-sided (if there is serious shading on one side).

In places where there is no sun, it is better to refuse to grow thuja - they will not only slow down their growth very much, but also increase the risk of various fungal infections.

If you have a close location of groundwater (1-1.5 m), it is permissible to plant conifers only on an artificial elevation - an artificial hill at least half a meter high.

Planting thuja western

Planting is carried out in prepared pits, on a site freed from perennial weeds - for digging, select all the rhizomes of nettles, thistle and other weeds.

The root system of the western thuja depends on the variety - in miniatures it is much less than in full-grown or semi-dwarfs. For example, in a thuja, 3-5 m tall, the roots extend to a depth of about a meter, in two meter ones - 50-60 cm.

To plant a thuja variety that will grow more than 3 m in 10-15 years, you need to prepare a hole measuring a meter by a meter wide and deep if the soil in your area is not adequate in structure. The landing pit provides a supply of food for the first few years.

preparing the ground

Thuja prefers soils - medium loams, moderately nutritious, not too moisture-intensive and not dry, slightly acidic.

If the soil: heavy clay, light sandy, pure peat - it requires mandatory improvement. Therefore, you need to mix the earth dug out of the pit with other components:

• if the soil is clayey, replace half of the excavated earth with equal parts of peat and sand
• if the soil is sandy, replace half of the excavated land with equal parts of peat and loam (soddy soil)
• if the soil is peat, replace half of the excavated land with equal parts of loam (turf land) and sand

At the bottom of the pit, we fill the drainage from crushed stone with a layer of 10-15 cm, then we fill up the mixed soil. To plant the acquired plant in a prepared and filled hole, we make a hole 30–40 cm wider and 10–15 cm deeper than the root system of the plant (i.e., we make a hole in the filled hole).

Acidity and liming

You need to know that nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, as well as most of the minor elements (iron, magnesium, sulfur and copper) are most easily absorbed on soils with a pH of 6.0 to 8.0.

For thuja, the optimal acidity is from 6.8 to 7.2, although they tolerate both more acidic and alkaline, which is what suppliers use. planting material, stating that thuja grow on any type of soil. This is not so, sooner or later stunting, browning of the needles, sometimes drying out of the branches or the entire plant becomes noticeable.

If the acidity of the soil in your area is below pH 6.5, they should be neutralized to the desired pH with lime or dolomite flour. Read about how to do this - soil deoxidation.

How to plant

Water the plant before removing it from the transport pot. Place the thuja taken out of the container in the center of the pit, spread the roots evenly. Then lift the tree so that the root collar is slightly higher (2-3 cm) than the ground level.

Fill in the prepared soil and gently compact the soil, pressing down with your hands, just do not compress it at the very trunk. The tree will settle a little with the ground, and the root collar will be flush with the horizon. You can not deepen it - this will lead to decay.

Now around the tree you need to make a "saucer" for watering - a side of the earth in the near-trunk circle, 5-6 cm high, so that when watering, the water does not spread far beyond the root system. If the conifer is planted on a slope, the "saucer" must be made higher.

It is better to immediately mulch the soil around the thuja with pine bark, a sliver, straw is also suitable for the first time (not the best option - it allows weeds to pass through and quickly decomposes).

Mulching does not allow water to spread, protects the roots from overheating in hot weather, retains moisture in the soil for several days longer. Considering that thuja do not tolerate overdrying, mulching is a necessary measure. But at the root neck (10-12 cm in diameter), the minimum layer is to cover the ground by no more than 1 cm, or not cover at all, so that the trunk does not rot and rot if the weather is too wet.

At what distance to plant thuja

The recommendations for planting that you may be given when buying planting material are very contradictory. First of all, you need to decide on the question of whether you plant in a permanent place or allow the possibility of a transplant.

In general, thujas tolerate a transplant well, especially if the root system is preserved as much as possible, and the time is suitable for such an operation. But sometimes after a few years it will be technically impossible to transplant trees to a new place. Therefore, plan your garden design in advance.

The distance between plants should take into account the final size of the variety and the possibility of crown correction by pruning. For example, in some varieties of columnar thuja, the diameter at the base of the trunk can be almost 2 m, in others - narrowly columnar no more than a meter. Tui grow slowly average growth in height per year - 10-30 cm, in diameter about 5-10 cm. But you need to imagine the garden in the future, how it will look in 10-15 years, because it will be almost impossible to transplant a full-grown tree.

If you are planning a hedge, say, from the Brabant variety, which has a crown diameter of an adult plant of about 1.5 m, with a frequency of planting in a row: every 50-70 cm (there is such a recommendation), you will have to thin them out after a few years, removing them after one. Such large thujas need to be planted at a distance of 80-100 cm.

In addition, you need to consider whether you want to preserve the natural shape of the planted variety - so that the cone (pyramid) is clearly visible or not - with a dense planting, the hedge forms a dense green wall, it is impossible to distinguish individual instances with the eye.

Another factor is the possibility of curly pruning, there should be enough space around a tree or shrub to freely care for it - tying, cutting, treating diseases and pests.

Western thuja care

Beauty requires effort - they begin with regular watering, especially the first month after planting - overdrying is unacceptable.

Thuja grows well only on fertile and moist soil. Plants growing in a flowerpot or container do not tolerate overdrying at all. Tracking the loss of moisture in conifers is more difficult than in deciduous ones - in those, the leaves hang down like rags, and in conifers, they turn yellow and dry. Therefore, watering in open ground should be regular, when there is no rain, approximately once a week.

It is believed that thujas are very good at sprinkling watering, water washes away dust from the crown and increases air humidity, but thujas love moist air and in nature grow along the banks and slopes of rivers and reservoirs.

However, during sprinkling, you need to make sure that water not only falls on the crown, but also wets the root layer under the trees. If there are signs of a fungal infection on the thuja, try to exclude sprinkling during treatment, and carry out regular watering from a watering can.

There are varieties that do not tolerate both overdrying and low humidity air, for example, Globoza nana (miniature spherical), these are best planted near a garden pond, fountain, stream.

Improvement of the soil and top dressing

After landing nutrients thuja is enough for several years, as a rule, top dressing is not needed for the first two years.

In the future, it is possible to improve the structure of the soil and the fertile soil layer by adding a 7-10 cm layer of compost under the trees, rake the top layer of the earth and replace it with humus, and mulch it with chopped pine bark on top.

Some varieties, such as Columna, are sensitive to compaction of the soil surface, the roots do not have enough oxygen, the plants wither, so annual loosening and renewal of mulch is a must.

If there is no cow or horse humus, you can replace it with leaf humus.

As top dressing, it is desirable to use mainly phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, better complex with a set of other minerals, designed specifically for coniferous plants. Usually two top dressings per season at the beginning and end of summer are enough.

Do not forget that the application of mineral fertilizers lowers the pH, and excessive dosages can burn the roots, which is manifested in the browning of the needles, usually not immediately, but within a month.

crown inspection

Western thuja is an evergreen plant, but the renewal of leaves and twigs occurs regularly, as a rule, “leaf fall” occurs in the fall, and since the crown of many varieties is very dense, the process can go unnoticed by us.

Therefore, do not forget to look inside the crown, push the branches apart and choose yellow needles; sometimes it accumulates between the branches near the trunk, gathering into “tangles”.

pruning

Usually, thujas lend themselves perfectly to pruning, do not get sick, but only become thicker after cutting.

If a variety has a columnar shape, this does not mean that the plant will grow branches with a strict pyramidal geometry, some varieties, such as Smaragd, have a clear outline of the shape, others, such as Brabant, grow shaggy and need constant pruning to form a well-groomed appearance.

In young plants, only acquired in the nursery, it is often necessary to reduce the number of leading branches, otherwise the plant grows in two or three trunks (double-topped) and all decorativeness is lost. If possible, choose specimens of columnar thuja with one leader trunk in advance. If there are several, leave one, carefully cut the second. The crown will grow over the season.

Pruning of the tips of the shoots should be carried out in the spring, with the opening of the buds and until mid-summer, some varieties, especially fast-growing, spherical or ovoid, need to be cut twice a season, others, slow-growing less often - once in the spring, then the crown overgrows a little over the summer, and the plants look more natural. Branches can be shortened by 1/3 of the length maximum, or less if necessary.

Thuja shelter for the winter

Almost all varieties of western thuja need protection from snow and ice. Their branches grow vertically upwards, the snow accumulated and frozen into an ice cap presses on them and breaks them out. Therefore, it is necessary to tie the trunks so that the snow flies off without stopping.

The binding must be done soft material- nylon tights are just perfect for this role - they do not rot and stretch. You can not tie the crown too tightly, like Christmas trees before falling into the body, otherwise the needles inside will rot.

Small specimens, no more than 1.5 m tall, are best protected not with a harness, but with a hut. Make a tripod out of wooden slats and wrap with burlap or white lutrasil.

It is important to consider the tendency of some varieties to sunburn. There are varieties that are very resistant - the same Smaragd, occasionally the tops can burn, and there are varieties that require shelter for the most dangerous period - from late February to April in the form of burlap or a protective screen.

Sometimes thujas do not burn in the sun for only one reason - they are heavily covered with snow, this applies mainly to young plants and undersized spherical ones, but if the winter is not snowy, they are at risk of sunburn, so be guided by the weather and precipitation.

Reproduction of thuja western

Thuja can be propagated by seeds and vegetatively: cuttings and layering.

Far from all varieties reproduce by seeds, and this is rarely practiced due to the possible loss of varietal qualities, in addition, often non-viable seeds are formed in thuja that do not germinate. Some varietals, like Danica, are propagated exclusively by cuttings. Others, for example, Vareana, Malonyan - during reproduction give a high preservation of varietal characteristics (80-85%).

Tui seeds ripen by the end of October, by November, they cannot be stored, they quickly lose their germination capacity - immediately send them to stratification for 2-3 months in a cold place (+ 2-4C) and sow.

Propagation of cuttings is quite easy if you cut branches for rooting in winter. The optimal time is November, not early autumn, but late, if the autumn is long, you can cut it in December, before frost.

The cuttings take root in the warmth of 22-24C, in a room greenhouse, i.e. at high humidity soil.

Alternatively, you can use a zip package - i.e. transparent plastic bag with a zipper - it is convenient to hang it on the window - it can be attached to the glass or frame with adhesive tape or on a clothespin.

Thuja cutting rooting technique

We prepare the soil: 1 part of leafy soil (leaf humus) and 1 part of large river sand, or vermiculite and sand in equal parts. For one cutting, you need about half a glass - a glass of substrate. We mix the components and be sure to sterilize in the microwave or oven. We fall asleep in a bag and pour a little boiled water. The soil for germination should not be too damp, only slightly moist.

We cut the stalk about 15 cm long, preferably with a heel, but do not tear it off (the bark lifts up), but cut it with a sharp knife. At the cutting, you need to remove the lower branches and place it in a bag in the soil.

Close the package tightly and hang it in a bright place - for winter - this is the south window, if the windows are too dark - next to the lamp. It is desirable that the total daylight hours be 12-14 hours.

Due to the fact that the package is closed, nothing needs to be watered and sprayed. Roots are formed within a month. Do not remove the cutting from the bag, observe: while the needles are green - everything is in order, wait until the root (it is dark) is visible through the bag, you can take it out and plant it in a pot in a substrate consisting of 2-3 parts of leaf humus, 1 part of a large river sand.

A pot with a planted thuja should be placed in a transparent bag, sprayed with boiled water and tied. After 2-3 days, open the bag for an increasing time - gradually accustom to lower air humidity.

Thuja western

Thuja comes from North America. In the 16th century, she came to Europe, took root perfectly in the local gardens and received the nickname "tree of life". This breed tolerates cold and air pollution well, is shade-tolerant, undemanding to soils. It is good both in single and in group plantings, suitable for hedges, will be a wonderful decoration for a rock garden and fill the garden with a coniferous aroma. In this article we will tell you what types of thuja exist and about growing conditions.

Breed features

Genus thuja(Thuja) belongs to the cypress family and has 6 species naturally growing in North America and East Asia.

Tui are monoecious, evergreen trees, less often shrubs with a rather dense pin-shaped crown, the trunks are covered with exfoliating bark.

• The needles are scaly, opposite, tightly pressed to the shoots, last 2-3 years. Some of the branches turn yellow in autumn and fall off.
• Male strobili are solitary, apical, small.
• Female - ovoid-oblong, solitary, very small.
• Cones are small, oblong or ovoid, with leathery scales, more or less open.
• The seeds are elongated, with a membranous wing, ripen in autumn in the year of flowering.
• Thuja wood is sound, has no resin passages, is soft. Valued for resistance to decay and ease of processing.

Thuja are characterized by rather slow growth, undemanding to soils. They have a more or less superficial root system.Prefer sunny or semi-shady areas.

This breed tolerates shearing and transplanting well throughout the year, except during very hot periods. Resistant to air pollution and smoke, widely used in landscape design.

Thuja is successfully propagated by seeds and summer cuttings, which easily root in wet sand when high humidity air. Decorative forms and varieties are propagated by cuttings or grafting.

Growing conditions

• In group plantings, the distance between plants is from 0.5 to 3.0 m.
• In a two-row hedge between rows 0.5–0.7 m, in a row 0.4–0.5 m.
• In alley plantings, the interval between trees is 4 m.
• When planting, mineral fertilizers are applied at the rate of 500 g of nitroammophoska per adult plant, the optimum soil acidity is pH 4.5–6.0.
• Two years after planting, it is necessary to add Kemira Universal (100-120 g / m²).
• It is advisable to mulch the near-stem circles in order to protect the roots from overheating and drying out in summer, as well as from rapid freezing in winter.
• After planting for a month, it is recommended to water once a week at the rate of one bucket per plant and sprinkle.
• To maintain the decorative appearance of plants, it is necessary to remove dry shoots annually in the spring.
• Thuja hedges are sheared moderately, no more than 1/3 of the length of the shoot, the crown is formed as needed.

Types of thuja

• Thuja western

The most famous and widespread species of the genus is thuja western ( Thuja occidentalis) . Conrad Gesner's German Horticulture (1560) indicates that the western thuja was the first North American species brought to Europe in 1536.

At home, this tree grows up to 20 m with a trunk diameter of 60-90 cm. At a young age, the crown is narrow, pyramidal, but later becomes ovoid. Scale-like leaves are bright green, shiny, up to 3–4 mm long.

The trunk is covered with brown bark, breaking up into thin strips.

Thuja western

In Russia thuja western appeared relatively recently, at the end of the 18th century, but it took root and spread so well that its artificial range in our country is seven times larger than the natural one.

Vertically standing cones reach 1 cm in diameter. They are yellow-green at first, turning brown as they mature.

In the east of North America, this plant is called the American tree of life and pencil tree, its soft and easily processed wood is used to prepare a pencil board. The thuja wood, which has long been resistant to decay, was used by the Indians to build canoes. .

At thuja western there are a huge number of garden forms and varieties that differ in size, structure of crowns and shoots, leaf color, which allows it to be widely used in gardening. This breed is especially popular in our country.

• Thuja giant, or folded

Along the coast Pacific Ocean in the western part of North America grows the most majestic of the thuja - gigantic, or folded (Thuja plicata). In its natural habitat, it reaches an impressive size: 60 m in height with a trunk diameter of up to 2.5 m - and it is called here the giant tree of life.

Thuja giant

Thuja folded has a dense crown hanging down to the ground. The leaves are scale-like, bright green, with whitish stripes on the underside. This species successfully grows on fairly moist soils, along the banks of rivers and swamps.

Thuja giant

The highly decorative giant thuja is found in culture in Western Europe, in the forest-steppes of Ukraine, as well as in some areas of the Caucasian coast. It has a number of very spectacular decorative forms and varieties.

• Thuja Korean

Thuja Korean ( Thuja koraiensis) - a tree up to 8 m high, but more often grows in the form of an open shrub with thin red-brown bark, exfoliating in small scales. The leaves are green, with well-defined resin glands, elliptical cones, up to 8 mm long, brown.

Thuja Korean

Naturally grows in northern and middle Korea. Of particular interest is only for dendrological gardens.

• Thuja Sichuan

In the mountains of southern China at an altitude of 1400 m above sea level grows thuja Sichuan ( Thuja sutchuenesis) - a small tree or shrub.This species has no practical use and is of interest only to botanical gardens and collection plots.

• Thuya Standish, or Japanese

In the mountains of Central Japan, at an altitude of 1000–1800 m above sea level, grows in mixed forests thuja Standish, or Japanese (Thuja standishii) . This tree is 18–35 m high, with a wide pyramidal crown. At home in favorable conditions reaches maximum dimensions(35 m) at the age of 300. The trunk is covered with reddish-brown thin bark, exfoliating in narrow strips. The leaves are dull green in color with an unpleasant resinous odor. Cones ovoid, light brown, 8-10 mm long.

It grows slowly, demanding on soil and air moisture. In Japan and Western Europe, it is widely used as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks. Feels good in our country Black Sea coast Caucasus.

• Arbor vitae

Thuja orientalis ‘Morgan’

Thuja orientalis ( Thuja orientalis) , according to academician A.L. Takhtadzhyan, sometimes insufficiently substantiated allocated to a separate genus biota(Biota). This evergreen tree, 15–18 m tall, grows in the mountains of northern China on slopes with poor soils. The crown is highly branched, reaching 9–11 m in diameter. The trunk is covered with reddish-brown bark.

Consider 14 winter-hardy varieties thuja western for central Russia. Western thuja (Thuja occidentalis) - an evergreen tree or shrub from the cypress family, has many decorative forms that are used both to create hedges, and for single and group landings.

Tui varieties often used to create hedges:

thuja western Brabant (Thuja occidentalis Brabant)

Brabant is a tree, 4-5 meters high and with a crown diameter of up to 1.5 meters. The crown is columnar. The needles are green, turning brown in winter months. Fast growing variety with an annual growth of 30-35 cm in height and 15 cm in width. Very cold hardy.

Perfectly tolerates a haircut, undemanding to growing conditions.

Thuja Brabant can grow both in sunny places and in slightly shaded ones. The tree feels better in places protected from the wind.

Blooms in spring, April-May. After flowering, brown ovoid cones of small size (from 0.8 to 1.2 cm) are formed, which fully ripen by autumn.

Thuja Brabant does not tolerate long-term thaws with temperature changes very well, as this can cause early sap flow.

Grows especially well in rich, moist soil. Growing on dry and poor soils will lead to the further appearance of rare branches with faded needles, abundant fruiting.

Planted in a mixture of sod / leafy soil (2 parts), peat (1 part) and sand (1 part). When planting, you can add nitroammofoski 0.5 kg per adult plant. On very wet soils, drainage is done up to 20 cm.

Container plants should be thoroughly watered before planting. The root neck when planting should be at ground level.

Plants are watered after planting for a month weekly, 10 liters per plant. After watering twice a week, 15-20 liters per plant.

Loosening is used taking into account the surface root system, loosening no deeper than 10 cm. Mulching with the addition of peat or wood chips is recommended. Layer up to 7 cm. Dry shoots are easily removed in the spring.

Newly planted plants need to be covered during the first winter. This will help protect their vulnerable needles from winter and spring sunburn. Shelter is made using spruce branches or kraft paper.

The variety is widely used to create a hedge, creates the effect of a "solid green wall", planting frequency should be 0.5-0.7 m in a row. To form a dense green wall, it is recommended to cut twice a season (in March and August). If you systematically trim the shoots at the top and side shoots, you can ensure that the hedge will be kept in a size of 0.4 m wide, 2 m high.

(Thuja occidentalis Smaragd)

Smaragd is a tree up to 4-4.5 meters high, which has a pronounced conical shape, a very dense structure. The needles are dark green, rich in color, do not change color in winter.

The growth rate is low.

The variety prefers highly fertile soil and regular watering.

In the "hedge" in the upper part it does not close, therefore it is used to conditionally delimit the garden space. Good as a tapeworm in a single landing.

Thuja western Smaragd has obvious differences from its "brothers" - slow growth in height and breadth, due to which frequent haircuts are not required.

Prefers fertile moist soils, without stagnant water. Does not tolerate drought well. In dry times, watering is necessary. Light-requiring, but can grow in partial shade.

Handles haircut well. In winter, it practically does not burn out.

Winter hardiness is high, but for planting it is better to choose areas protected from the winds. It is advisable to protect young plants from early spring sunburn by covering them with covering material or burlap.

Smaragd is suitable for creating a free-growing hedge in the style of the "southern landscape" (planting step 0.5-0.6 m).

Used for both single and group plantings.

Suitable for container growing and creating various forms by topiary cutting. This variety looks great in regular style gardens.

(Thuja occidentalis columna)

Columna is a tree with a narrow columnar crown up to 6-7 meters high and up to 1.3 meters in diameter. The structure of the crown is dense, compact, with short horizontally extending dense shoots. The needles are scaly. The color of the needles is dark green, almost not changing color in winter.

It grows rapidly, up to 20 cm per year. Undemanding to soils. Winter hardiness is high.

Suitable both for creating hedges in the Mediterranean style, and as a single solo plant, reminiscent of Crimean cypress trees with its silhouette.

It is undemanding to soil conditions, but it reaches the best development on moderately fertile soils of medium moisture. Does not tolerate drought well. For planting, it is better to choose semi-shady areas.

It tolerates a haircut well, shaping pruning is carried out as needed.

In the first two years after planting, it is advisable to cover young plants with material for the winter in order to avoid early spring sunburn.

The columnar variety of thuja western Columna is often used for high (up to 4 m tall) shaped and free-growing hedges (planting step in a row of 0.5-0.7 m).

It is also used for single, group and avenue plantings, as an accent in tree and shrub compositions and for container growing. Suitable for regular style gardens.

Can be used for topiary haircuts.

Thuja western Holmstrup(Thuja occidentalis Holmstrup)

Holmstrup is a tree up to 3-3.5 meters high with a crown diameter of up to 1 meter, with a columnar crown. The structure of the needles is very dense "curly". Does not change color in winter.

The homeland of the thuja is Denmark, 1951.

It is undemanding to soils, it is frost-resistant, well transfers a haircut.

The variety fits lazy gardeners". The growth rate is very low. The annual growth is 12 cm high and 4 cm wide. It grows to its final height in about 20-40 years. In hedges, pruning can be done once every two years.

Prefers sunny places, can grow in partial shade. Grows better in moist soil, tolerates moisture stagnation, tolerates some dryness.

The soil is preferably loose and fertile.

2-3 years after planting the seedling in a permanent place, they are sheltered from early spring burns;

Can be used for single landings and rockeries.

For hedges, the distance in the row between plants should be 0.7 m.

Thuja western Fastigiata(Thuja occidentalis Fastigiata)

Fastigiata is a thuja with a columnar crown shape, with shoots tightly pressed against the trunk. The needles are from light green to dark green. Reaches a height of up to 6 meters in the middle zone of Russia.

Annual growth up to 30cm. The needles are soft, dark green with a strong characteristic smell.

Handles haircut well. Almost does not change color in winter. Winter-hardy.

Shaped like a cypress. Cones inconspicuous, brown.

Thuja western Fastigiata prefers a sunny location and fertile, moderately moist loamy soils.

When planting in a wetland, care should be taken to create a good drainage system.

Tui seedlings need shading from late winter and early spring sunlight with burlap.

Mulching is recommended to create conditions for better plant survival. trunk circle mowed grass, which will improve the structure of the soil. late autumn mulch should be replaced with spruce branches so that field mice do not appear.

Thuja western Fastigata - well suited for creating tall hedges that securely cover the area and at the same time do not take up much space.

Western thuja varieties for single and group plantings:

Thuja western Sunkist(Thuja occidentalis Sunkist)

Sunkist is a large, dense, shrub or small coniferous tree. Height 3-5 m, crown diameter 1-2 m. The crown is conical with densely branched branches, slightly ruffled.

Originally from Canada.

The needles of young plants are bright golden yellow, changing to lemon yellow with age, and bronze in winter.

It grows slowly, at the age of 10 years it reaches 2 m in height.

It is undemanding to soil conditions, photophilous, tolerates a haircut well. Frost-resistant.

Prefers moist fertile soils. It does not tolerate drought well, after a long dry period, in the absence of regular watering and under other adverse conditions, it can enter the phase of mass seeding, which leads to a loss of decorativeness.

Photophilous. It can grow in partial shade, but the color of the needles fades and may acquire a green tint. For planting, it is desirable to select areas protected from the wind.

It tolerates a haircut well, crown shaping is carried out as needed.

To protect against early spring burns in the first year after planting for the winter, it is advisable to cover the plants with covering material.

One of the most brightly colored varieties of western arborvitae for planting as part of coloristic tree and shrub compositions, for container growing and single planting.

It can be used to create a bright shaped hedge (with a single-row planting, the distance between plants is 0.5-0.6 m).

Suitable for creating various geometric shapes by topiary haircut.

Thuja western Wagneri(Thuja occidentalis Wagneri)

Thuja Wagneri is a tree up to 3.5 m high and up to 1.5 m wide. With a pronounced ovoid dense crown and numerous thin, vertically arranged shoots, slightly drooping at the ends.

The needles are gray-green, in winter it acquires a copper tint. The growth rate is average.

Demanding on soil conditions, prefers fertile, sufficiently moist soils. Grows best in open areas. Photophilous.

The variety holds the shape of the crown well, so formative pruning is carried out only when necessary.

To prevent damage to the crown under the weight of snow, at the beginning of winter, it is advisable not to tie the shoots tightly together. Frost resistance is high.

A variety with an original crown shape, best use for which is a solitary landing. It can also be used in single, group and alley plantings, in tree and shrub compositions and for container growing.

(Thuja occidentalis Cloth of Gold)

Claude of gold is a low shrub up to 2 meters high, up to 1.2 m wide. The crown is elongated-ovoid or conical dense. The needles are delicate, of two types - needle-shaped and scaly, from lemon yellow to yellow-orange, in winter it acquires a copper tint.

Grows slowly.

Demanding on soil conditions, prefers light, well-drained, moderately fertile soils with an alkaline reaction. Does not tolerate prolonged waterlogging.

Photophilous. It can grow in partial shade, but the color of the needles becomes less expressive.

To maintain the shape of the crown, a moderate haircut can be carried out, no more than 1/3 of the shoot.

Frost-resistant, in the first year after planting the plant for the winter, it is desirable to cover from burns, in subsequent years it does not need shelter.

A variety with an interesting crown shape, color and structure of needles, used as a tapeworm, in single and group plantings, as color accent in tree-shrub compositions, suitable for rocky and heather gardens.

(Thuja occidentalis Globosa)

Thuja western Globoza is a spherical shrub with a height and diameter of up to 2 m.

The needles are scaly, light green in spring, green in summer and grey-green or brownish in winter. The shoots are straight and flat, lifted up, densely arranged, overlapping, evenly expanding to the sides.

The needles are shiny green, gray-green or brownish in winter.

Growth is slow, by ten years the diameter of the crown reaches 1 m, by twenty - 1.5 m.

The crown is dense. Rejuvenating pruning should be done every two years.

Winter-hardy, shade-tolerant, drought-resistant. Needs fertile, moist soils.

It does not tolerate dry air and needs more frequent watering than other types of arborvitae.

To save in winter period from breaking with snow cover, it is recommended to tie the crown or make a frame, especially for young plants.

It is used to create low hedges, borders, single and group plantings. Effectively dominates rock gardens and rocky hills.

It is also used for gardening roofs and balconies, for growing in containers.

Thuja western Woodwardy(Thuja occidentalis Woodwardii)

Woodwardy is a variety with a height of 1.5 - 2.0 m, width - up to 2 m. The crown shape is dense spherical, wide-round in old age. Shoots are straight, flat. The needles are dark green in summer and winter, do not change color.

At the age of 10, the spherical crown reaches 0.4 m in height and width.

The place of origin of Woodwardy is unknown, the time of introduction into culture before 1923.

It is winter-hardy, but in severe winters the ends of annual shoots freeze slightly. Suitable for rock gardens and lawn plantings.

The fruits are small brown.

Demanding on fertility and soil moisture. It responds well to spring top dressing, the color of the needles improves. For planting, choose sunny areas or partial shade.

The trunk circle after landing in a permanent place should be mulched with mowed grass or peat.

Thuya Woodwardy, like other evergreens, in the first year or two after planting, may suffer from late winter and early spring sunlight. Therefore, the seedling must be covered with burlap. The burlap should be removed after the snow cover has melted, in the evening hours, preferably in cloudy weather.

Thuja Woodwardy is used to create landscape compositions of trees and shrubs with contrasting foliage colors and different architecture.

Planting in mixborders, as well as a solo plant in open areas, and along the sides of the path. Looks good when breaking down a monotonous row of hedges.

Thuja western Stolvik(Thuja occidentalis Stolwijk)

Stolvik is a shrub up to 1.5 m high. The shape of the crown is hemispherical, the lower part is dense, the upper part is sparse with several trunks. The needles are green, young growths are yellow-white.

At the age of 10, the height of the plant reaches 1 m.

The variety was obtained by breeding in a Dutch nursery in 1986.

Winter-hardy variety, well propagated by cuttings.

Needs fertile and moist soils. The variety prefers a sunny location, becomes loose in the shade. It does not tolerate dry air, so on hot days you should water the plant under the root, and in the evening, apply sprinkling.

Seedlings of this variety are usually planted low, so they winter under the snow and do not suffer from spring sunburn.

Amenable to formation. To give the crown greater density, spring shortening of the shoots can be applied.

Suitable for replanting in mixborders and tree-shrub compositions, as the variety creates the effect of "splendor" of the composition. Recommended for rock gardens, Japanese gardens, compositions. Can act as a tapeworm in the open.

Should not be planted in a hedge because of the thinned top.

(Thuja occidentalis Danica)

Danica is a low shrub up to 60 cm high and up to 1 m in diameter. The crown is spherical. Shoots are short, densely spaced. The needles are dense, soft, light green, shiny, slightly bronze in winter.

Grows slowly. The annual increase in height is not more than 5 cm. It reaches its maximum height and width at about 15 years of age

With young age keeps almost perfect spherical shape. Propagated exclusively by cuttings.

Thuja western Danica from the cypress family was bred in Denmark in 1948, from where it came to us.

Shade-tolerant, frost-resistant. It is used in compositions, rock gardens, to create borders, ideal for landscaping small areas.

The location that most suits the plant is the sun and partial shade. Winter-hardy for central Russia, almost never suffers from spring sunburn, because. hibernates under the snow.

It is drought-resistant, but prefers moist fertile loams. Needs good lighting, so it is best to plant it in the sun or partial shade. In shady areas, Danica's thuja loses its shape, becomes loose and "shaggy". Thuja also does not like temperature fluctuations, which causes drying.

It prefers fertile, moist loamy soils. The site for planting thuja should be protected from the wind. In the case of proximity to groundwater, drainage from crushed stone will be required. The soil mixture should consist of soddy or leafy soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1. When planting, it is necessary to add mineral fertilizers.

Danica is used to create decorative groups and landscape compositions, in which it is most often a solo plant. Plants with a columnar crown shape and an ovoid are planted to it to create a balanced triangle according to the rules of the "golden section". Also, borders are made from it and planted as a tapeworm.

Thuja occidentalis Golden Globe(Thuja occidentalis Golden Globe)

Thuja western Golden Globe is a rounded shrub up to 1 m high and up to 1 m in diameter. The color of the needles is golden yellow. The yellow tips of the shoots, which get a lot of sun, completely cover the plant, inside the ball the foliage is bright green.

In autumn, the needles acquire a copper hue, in spring they become golden again.

Grows slowly. Has a small increase of 8-10 cm per year, reaches maximum diameter 1-1.2 m in twenty years.

Quite winter hardy.

It does not need a haircut, but sanitary pruning may be required in the spring.

Among gardeners, this variety is called "thuja yellow spherical" or "yellow ball".

It prefers light loamy soils, therefore, moderate doses of organic and mineral fertilizers should be applied to the planting mixture, and after planting, the trunk circle should be mulched with mowed grass or peat.

In late autumn, the mulch should be replaced with spruce branches so that mice do not arrange their nests in the hay, which can damage or even destroy the seedling.

Thuya Golden Globe does not tolerate dry air, so in the hot months of the year it needs regular watering and sprinkling.

If the plant becomes loose due to age or long cloudy weather, shortening of the shoots should be applied. A short cut will encourage new shoot growth and thicken the crown.

It acquires its golden color only in sunny areas or in partial shade. In the shade, the needles become light green, and the crown is loose and sparse. Resistant to smoke and gases.

Golden Globe is suitable for creating colorful landscape compositions using pebbles or wood chips. Due to its small stature, it looks great in rockeries, rock gardens and on retaining walls.

Thuja western Hoseri(Thuja occidentalis Hoseri)

Thuja western Hoseri is a low-growing variety with a spherical crown with a diameter of up to 0.6 m. The needles are scaly, dense, rich dark green, gray-green in winter with a bronze tint.

It grows very slowly 4-5 cm per year. As an adult, the ball becomes flattened.

The variety is demanding on fertility and soil moisture, it is quite winter-hardy. Prefers moderately fertile and moist soils.

Drought-resistant, but responds to watering in the hot season good growth and great views.

It does not suffer from spring sunshine, because. hibernates under the snow. For the first time after landing in open ground requires increased attention and good care. For better survival, you can apply mulching of the near-stem circle with mowed grass or peat. In autumn, the mulch should be replaced with spruce branches. Spruce thorns will scare away field mice that can destroy the plant.

Shade tolerant, but grows best in full sun or partial shade. Holds the shape of the crown well, does not need a haircut.

undersized globular shrub for small gardens, tree and shrub compositions, rock gardens and compositions mixed with perennials. Suitable for creating borders and container growing.

Materials taken from the site www.vparnike.ru