Thuja is columnar, planting and care. Thuja western: winter-hardy varieties

The origin of this culture is Northern part America. Well thuja grows in shady area, in clay-sandy soil, with enough moisture for the root system. Thuja reaches a maximum of 20 meters in height. On average, a tree can live up to 1000 years. The tree propagates by rooting cuttings.

Thuja is the most common and most modern tree in Russian gardens. This tree is coniferous, it was brought from America to Europe in the 16th century, from where this culture later appeared in our countries.

Many years ago, the Indians began to use this culture to build a boat (canoe). They took this particular tree, because its wood does not rot. Tui bark was used to make medicinal tea.

The plant has become popular and has a high content of essential oils in the leaves. These oils are now used to make perfume. Oils are also used in medicine. It was revealed that they are very useful for human cardiac activity, improve the functioning of the central nervous system.

The thuja tree is great for decorative haircuts. You can make any shape out of it, which will make the garden of a private house quite original and interesting. And the alley of bizarrely trimmed trees in the park will not force a single person to pass by.

Thuja is a rather undemanding tree, it used to grow exclusively near the river, or swamps.

In height, the thuja grows a maximum of 20 meters. The diameter of the upper part of the plant reaches 5 meters. In young trees, the crown has the shape of a pyramid; in older trees, the crown is ovoid, red, sometimes brownish in color. More mature trees can be easily identified, as they have pronounced stripes along the entire length of the wood. The needles of the tree are in the form of scales, dark green in color, take on a brown tint in winter, fall off after about 3 years. The shoots of the thuja are dark at the top, and light at the bottom.

Tui fruits are cones. They grow small, maximum 12 mm, resembling the shape of an egg. Inside the cone there are 2 seeds, flattened shape, yellow color. Every year, the thuja can grow up to 30 cm in height, and up to 10 cm in width.

Thuja wood has a red color, it is quite strong, but at the same time soft. There are no resin channels, it has a pleasant aroma. The roots are located compactly, do not grow.

Thuja is a sun-loving culture. But the tree also transfers the shadow quite easily. Clay soil is very well suited for arborvitae, but even in loose soil, where the sand content is large enough, it grows well, only regular top dressing is needed. It can also grow in soil with large quantity moisture. The tree is considered not picky at all. More mature specimens calmly endure both frost and drought. In urban conditions, the tree also grows well.

Thuja can become beautiful decor in the courtyard of a private house. Can be planted in groups or singly.

Another advantage of such a beautiful tree is its phytoncidity. This is a phenomenon in which thuja produces certain substances. Thanks to this process, the plant brings not only beauty to the garden, but also beneficial features for a person, immunity is strengthened, general well-being improves. In some European countries, thuja is planted in tuberculosis dispensaries, and this is done at the legislative level.

It is better to plant thuja in a place where there is no wind. First you need to dig a hole for planting. The soil is prepared from leaf ground(2 parts), from peat (1 part) and from sand (1 part). The neck of the roots does not need to be deepened, it is recommended to leave it flush with the ground. After planting, the tree should be well watered. If the summer is hot, then the tree is watered twice as often as usual. The most favorable time for watering is evening or early morning. In the absence of watering on hot days, the tree may begin to actively bear fruit, which in the future may affect the deformation of the crown.

After the snow melts, you can start feeding the thuja. Still very young seedlings need to be wrapped with special material or special paper, which will help to reject sunburn.

There are many different types thuja. For those who like to decorate their garden with this tree, there are many varieties and types of this tree. The most interesting and popular type is thuja in the form of a ball. The tree looks very original due to its rounded shape.

If the owners of a private house decided to build a hedge in the form of a tall, slender arborvitae, then this tree will look the most interesting and harmonious. And if you need to decorate the road along the curbs, then the thuja is undersized fit better any other kind. This tree is also great for an original decorated haircut.

The most common types of western thuja

Degroot Spire- This is a kind of thuja with a thinner crown than other subspecies. This variety of this culture is quite popular in the West. As for Europe, this type of tree has not yet been appreciated there.

Thanks to this ornamental plant, like a thuja of this particular type, you can safely equip a fence big house, 5 meters long. This "thuja" fence will be appreciated only by a true connoisseur of culture. The thickness of the fence can reach a maximum of 30 centimeters.

Smaragd- This next view such a tree. The most important advantage of this species is constantly green needles. The whole year remains rich, bright green color. This thuja can grow up to 5 meters in height, one of the tallest specimens. In a year, the growth will be about 10 centimeters.

columna- this thuja resembles a column in its shape. Best of all perceives both the hot sun and enough severe frosts. Thuja grows 8 meters, the crown in diameter can reach one and a half meters. For a year in growth, the tree adds about 15 centimeters. The color of the needles is green, it differs from other species in its bright sheen. Very unpretentious, grows both in drought and with high moisture. Can be planted in alleys, or single trees.

The most common type of this culture is called pyramidal thuja. Crown in the shape of a pyramid. The difference from other species is that the shoots of the tree are quite densely located to each other, quite strong and thick.

There are also several types of pyramidal thuja. Basically, all trees of this variety grow up to 15 meters in height, in all species the pine needles themselves stick out very interestingly. The trees differ only in the color of the needles, and its shade at certain times of the year.

Salland This species has recently been identified. The tree differs from all other species in its color - lemon-colored needles, has a short stature.

Reingold- this is another rare view arborvitae, a beautiful and ornamental tree. The shade of needles is orange, which looks quite rare and interesting. This species is growing very slowly. The maximum tree can grow up to 1 meter, less often up to 1.2 meters.

yellow ribbon- the needles of this type of tree are yellow, close to a golden color. On average, the growth of such a thuja is 2 meters.

Danica- the crown of this tree is in the shape of a ball. The height of the tree does not even reach a meter. This thuja with short shoots located close to one another. In summer, the needles of this type of green thuja bright color, in winter the color becomes brownish. Because of its short stature, this tree is called a dwarf tree. This variety tolerates frost very well.

Golden Globe- another type of spherical thuja. Yellow needles, variegated golden hue. The tree grows very slowly in height. At the age of 10, the growth of the tree reaches a maximum of 1 meter. Grows best in sunny locations with optimal soil moisture.

Globosa- another type of spherical tree. This is a kind of shrub, its shoots are quite thick, grow vertical way. This tree is one of those that change their color depending on the season. Green, with a golden hue, the color is replaced by brown. A mature tree grows up to a maximum of 1 meter, in very rare cases 1.2 meters.

Mr. bowling ball- this species also belongs to a spherical tree. The originality of this plant lies in its very low growth. A mature tree reaches a maximum of 40 centimeters. In summer, the color of the needles of this tree is bright green, and in winter the color changes, becoming a bronze-gray color, like a fringe. Such a tree will look very beautiful in private gardens, memorial places. It perceives the sun's rays well, and at the same time winters quite well.

woodwardii- this type of thuja is a bit like the shape of an egg, it is also considered a spherical variety. At the age of 10, a tree can grow up to only 40 centimeters. The shoots of this variety grow quite densely, have a green color, very bright. The soil under this tree must be sufficiently moist, then the plant will show itself in all its glory. It will be great to live in gardens where there are stones, it tolerates winter well.

little gem- another variety of thuja. Its difference from the rest is that the diameter of the crown is much larger than the growth of the tree itself. In winter, the color of the needles is dull, brownish, and in summer it becomes bright green. The tree can be planted in a group with other species, and separately, in a single way. You can use the plant as a fence, which looks quite original and beautiful. This thuja will tolerate frost well, it perceives heat much worse.

Stolwijk- this variety of thuja grows quite slowly. This dwarf tree is a bit asymmetrical. With age, this thuja grows not in height, but in breadth. The growth of a 10-year-old tree reaches a maximum of 1 meter. The needles are bright green. Shoots are light, yellow. The soil for this species needs to be moist. It will look very harmonious in Japanese garden. Stolwijk tolerates frost well, and tolerates heat very well.

Thuja pyramidal, or thuja columnar, or thuja cone is a variety of western thuja and can reach 30 m in height, but in culture it often does not exceed 10 - 12 m.

The crown of the trunk is reddish or grayish-brown, exfoliating in mature trees. In young trees, it is pyramidal, later columnar.

The needles of the thuja fit snugly to the shoot, in summer it is dark green, in winter it most often becomes brownish-green. It remains on the tree for 2-3 years. AT vivo thuja grows in the coniferous forest zone in eastern North America.

The life expectancy of thuja is 100 years or more. By old age, it loses the lower branches and becomes less decorative. Grows slowly. Thuja is shade-tolerant, undemanding to the soil, but grows better on fresh fertile loams. On poor soils, thuja needles acquire a yellowish tint, but do not lose their decorative effect. It tolerates drought, although it prefers places with sufficient moisture in the soil and air. Thuja is quite winter-hardy up to the latitude of St. Petersburg in the north and Yekaterinburg in the east.

Wind resistant. Among conifers considered one of the most resistant to smoke and gas. Thuja columnar perfectly tolerates a haircut and is suitable for creating dense hedges. It tolerates transplant well.
Tui have great polymorphism. Most decorative forms of thuja are more demanding on environmental conditions than the main species.

Usually, columnar or pyramidal forms are offered for landscaping:

Columna, Douglasii, Pyramidalis, Fastigiata, Brabant, Malonyana 6-10 m high and

Smaragd, Holmstrup, Rosenthallii, Wagneriana, 3-4 m tall.

They are most often used to create green hedges, while their size and features must be taken into account accordingly.

Forms with several tops, multi-stemmed (Fastigiata, Malonyana, Wagneriana) before the onset of winter must be slightly pulled together with twine to prevent breaking the crown with heavy wet snow, and large specimens often even need to be fixed with a coupler throughout the year.

Under the conditions of Moscow, Smaragd and Brabant are less winter-hardy, although Smaragd is interesting for retaining its emerald green color in winter, while most green forms become copper-brown to one degree or another (in spring, the color is restored, provided there is no winter burn). Another "brown" problem - often thuja spoils the abundance of cones, which at the end of summer acquire Brown color, respectively, the plant looks green-brown, and next year, when they fall off, the crown becomes loose. This usually happens after a hot dry summer, perhaps you should take comfort in the fact that this year your pet has “successful life”, which affected the formation of seeds. Gardeners are frightened by discovering brown shrunken paws-twigs. If this happens inside the crown and does not affect more than a quarter of its volume, and young shoots last year do not look suffering - it's okay, it's natural process“Coniferous fall” (which occurs in arborvitae as “branch fall”), since arborvitae are evergreen conifers, but the needles live 3-7 years.

Thuja western Columna (Thuja occidentalis Columna).

Upright coniferous with a narrow columnar crown, short branches, densely and horizontally extending. Grows slowly. Height up to 10m. The annual growth is about 15 cm. The crown diameter is up to 1.5 m, the growth in width is about 5 cm. The bark is red-brown, rough. The needles are scaly, dense, dark green, shiny, do not change color in winter. The roots are thin, dense, with mycorrhiza. It is not picky about soils, grows on both acidic and alkaline, moist and fertile substrates. Sensitive to compaction of the soil surface. Location: sunny or partial shade Quite winter-hardy. Application: single specimens or groups, suitable for hedges.

Thuja western Douglas (Thuja occidentalis Douglasii pyramidalis). It looks like a cypress. The shape of the crown is narrow, columnar, height - 10 - 15 m. The shoots are thin, very short, straight. Twigs green, protruding. look like fern leaves. The needles are marsh green, flat. On the lower branches, it dries early and partially falls off. Bred at the beginning of the 20th century in the Arnold Arboretum (USA) and taken from there by Shpet to Berlin (Germany). Winter-hardy. Very shade tolerant. Propagated by summer (68%) and winter (100%) cuttings. It is recommended to plant it in groups or singly near houses. It is also suitable for hedges.

Thuja western pyramidal dense (Thuja occidentalis Pyramidalis Compacta). Tree up to 10 m tall. The crown is narrowly conical. The shoots are densely branched, strong, tightly pressed to each other, short. The needles are large, scaly, light green, with a faint sheen. Winter-hardy. Known in culture since 1904, widespread. Recommended for single and group landings.

Thuja western equally high (Thuja occidentalis Fastigiata). Very variable shape. Tree with a columnar crown, 15m. height. It looks like a cypress tree. The shoots are tightly pressed to the trunk, directed partially down. The branches are numerous. Needles from light to dark green. Unlike other forms, it retains to a greater extent green coloring and in winter. Received in the Shpet nursery in Germany in 1904. Grows fast. It is better than others to put up with air pollution. Widely known and loved by all. Winter-hardy. Propagated by summer (95%) and winter (60%) cuttings. Recommended for single and group plantings near houses.

Thuja western Brabant (Thuja occidentalis Brabant). Tree 15 - 21) m high. Crown diameter 3-4 m. Crown conical. The bark is reddish or grayish-brown, exfoliating. The needles are scaly, green, keep coloring in the winter. Blooms in April - May, Cones are brown, oblong-ovate, 0.8 - 1.2 cm long. Annual growth in height 30 cm, width 10 cm. Shade-tolerant. It is undemanding to the soil, tolerates both dryness and excessive soil moisture, but prefers fresh, sufficiently moist fertile loams. Frost-resistant. Handles haircut well. Application: single plantings, groups, hedges.

Thuja western Vervena (Thuja occidentalis Vervaeneana). Highly beautiful shape. Tree up to 15 m tall, with a slender, narrow-conical crown. Shoots are thin. The branches are numerous, tender and soft, thick. The needles are light yellow or light green, bronze-brown in winter. Winter-hardy. Propagated by summer (82%) and winter (100%) cuttings. It originated in 18b2 in the nursery of Vervain in Ledeberg (Belgium). Recommended for planting in tapeworms, groups, alleys near houses.

Thuja western Malonyana (Thuja occidentalis Malonyana). Peaked and narrow-columnar form 10 - 15 m high. Shoots are short, brown, densely branched, flat, densely arranged. The needles are shiny, green, distinctly glandular. Winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds. When grown from seeds, 85% of seedlings retain their basic shape. Rooting by summer cuttings is 100%. Appeared in Slovakia in 1913. It is now widely found in culture. It is recommended to plant singly or in groups near houses. Can be used to create a hedge.

thuja western emerald(Thuja occidentalis smaragd) - the form is pyramidal, but rather squat, its height reaches an average of 4-5 meters. It is distinguished by a moderate growth rate: in 10 years it grows by only two meters. Thuja smaragd is grown both alone and as part of group plantings, as a low decorative tree on sections or paths of park alleys. It is quite suitable for the formation of "hedges". In the so-called rock gardens, thuja smaragd is used to create a background.

The needles of this tree have a light green color, which does not change during the whole genus, neither in winter nor in summer. Tui smaragd plants are convenient in that they are completely undemanding to the composition of the soils on which they grow. But he does not at all refuse good soil: thuja smaragd trees take root best of all on soil abundantly enriched with humus. It is better if the place where they grow is well lit and well drained.
Thuja smaragd is also positively characterized by winter hardiness - that is, resistance to low temperatures. In case of heavy snow, it should be tied up, because abundant wet snow adhering to them can “destroy” a slender tree. After all, gardeners extremely appreciate precisely the thuja emerald precisely for its dense, regular crown.

Thuja western Holmstrup (Thuja occidentalis Holmstrup). Shrub 4 meters high and crown diameter up to 1 m. The crown is conical. The bark is reddish or grayish-brown, exfoliating. The needles are scaly, dense, green. In a year it grows twelve centimeters high and four centimeters wide. Grows slowly. Shade-tolerant. It is undemanding to the soil, tolerates dryness of the soil and excessive moisture, but prefers fresh, sufficiently moist fertile loams. Handles haircut well. Frost-resistant. Application: single plantings, groups, hedges, alleys.

Thuja western Rosenthalii (Thuja occidentalis Rosenthalii). The shape is uniformly columnar, up to 5 m tall. Shoots are short, dense, straight, standing perpendicular. Branches numerous, slightly rounded. The needles are dark green, shiny. It grows extremely slowly. Introduced into culture in 1884, it is often found only in Europe. Winter-hardy. Rooting by summer cuttings is 92%, by winter cuttings - 100%. Recommended for single and group plantings, hedges.

Thuja western Riversi (Thuja occidentalis Riversi). Tree up to 5 m tall. The crown is compact, wide-conical. Shoots are short, everted. The needles are yellow in summer, yellowish-green in winter. Winter-hardy. Propagated by cuttings (65 - 75%). Recommended for hedges and group plantings on rocky areas, or singly on the lawn.

Thuja western Graceful (Thuja occidentalis Elegantissima). Tree up to 5 m tall. The crown is dense, wide-conical, graceful. The needles are brightly colored, shiny. The ends of the shoots have a whitish tint. Winter-hardy. Fruits abundantly. It is difficult to propagate by cuttings (up to 14%) and seeds. When sowing, only a part of the seedlings inherits the signs of the form. Known in culture since 1930. Recommended for single and group landings on the lawn.

Thuja western Ellvangeriana (Thuja occidentalis Ellwangeriana). Transitional form, 2.5 m high. The crown is wide-conical, in young trees it is pyramidal. Shoots are straight, thin-pinnate. The ends of the branches are strongly branched. The needles on young shoots are soft, needle-like, on older ones - scaly, flat, pressed, in winter - grayish. Winter-hardy. Propagated by summer (54%) and winter (97 - 100%) cuttings, as well as seeds. Originated in 1869, apparently in North America. Recommended for group plantings near houses and as a tapeworm. Very graceful plant for single landings in the foreground.

There are pyramidal varieties of thuja with a special form of branching - “fluffy-knotty”, suitable for creating loose hedges or small groups, as well as exotic forms in the thematic (eastern) garden - Spiralis1 (6-10 m tall), Bodmery (up to 2.5 m).

Thuja western Spiralis (Thuja occidentalis Spiralis). A tree with a narrow conical crown, up to 15 m tall. The shoots are twisted with a screw and turned so that they resemble a spiral when viewed from above. Twigs are short, reminiscent of the leaves of some ferns. The needles are bluish-green. In terms of growth rate, it surpasses all other forms of western thuja. Known in culture since 1920. Place of origin unknown. Propagated by seeds. At seed propagation 30% of seedlings inherit form traits. Rooting by summer cuttings is 95%. Winter-hardy. Recommended for single and group landings. Effective in alleys.

Thuja is columnar, or western, has the appearance of a shrub or tree of a pyramidal shape, reaching 20-25 m in height. The flat needles are attached to horizontal ropes. Frost-resistant durable green space well takes root on waterlogged soil, quite calmly tolerates the sun, shade, drought and cold.

Thuja western columnar does not react to smoke and exhaust gases of vehicles, therefore it is often used for landscaping city streets, ideal for creating landscape design on the territory industrial enterprises. Planting thuja columnar in groups and tapeworms allows you to organize hedges or evergreen borders.

A tree of this form has an outward resemblance to a cypress, does not change its dark green color throughout the year. The vertically directed branches of the tree extend to ground level. Every year, the trees bear abundant fruits, but when they are planted in the soil, the seedlings do not always take a shape similar to the mother.

Due to the wide variety of forms and varieties, the columnar thuja is indispensable in landscape design. Miniature and giant trees of a pyramidal, conical and column shape, shrubs in the form of a ball and a rectangle abound in various colors.

Specialists of the Sovereign company serving the regions of Moscow and the Moscow region, when creating landscape design, most often use undersized and shrub varieties, which ideally coexist with bushes of peonies, roses or varietal lilacs. Dwarf thuja allows you to make a living fence for flower beds, it can be planted along footpaths, along alleys and along the perimeter of the fence.

Seedlings are grown in pots, after which they are transplanted into the ground. The planting period of the columnar thuja can last from early spring when the earth warmed up, and until late autumn. It is undemanding to the composition of the soil, but preference should be given to fertile, slightly acidic light soils. When planting seedlings should be brought into the hole organic fertilizers and wood ash.

Caring for the columnar thuja

Young seedlings need care: shelter for the night, water them 1 time in 7-10 days. In the summer, seedlings should be fed with mullein infusion or special mixtures for coniferous trees. When loosening the soil around the seedling, it is necessary to mulch with sawdust and peat.

Specialists of the Sovereign company, which provide landscape design and tree care services in Moscow and the Moscow Region, recommend fencing a columnar thuja with a mesh fence or dense thorny bushes, since dog urine can destroy even old trees.

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Thuja columnar is a rather original plant that will add originality to any landscape design. That is why it is very popular among gardeners and landscape designers.

Thuja columnar is though unpretentious plant but still needs maintenance.

The main care procedures are:

• Watering.
• Shelter.
• Pruning.
• Fertilizer.

Young seedlings of this plant most often require care:

• Them (once for 7-10 days), as well as cover for the night.
• Young trees of the columnar thuja need to be fed regularly. For this, as well as special mixtures for conifers.
• Also, young trees of this plant require frequent loosening of the soil. During this procedure, it is imperative to carry out mulching. For this, peat or sawdust is used.

The columnar thuja does not tolerate dog urine, so the tree must be limited from this harmful effect.

• Mature trees need to be watered during major droughts twice a week.
• To strengthen the plant, it is best to use a hose with a spray when watering. This will help not only give the plant required amount moisture, but also wash off dirt and dust from its needles.
• If it is very hot outside, then it is necessary to spray the tree twice a day. This procedure is carried out in the morning and in the evening (in the morning - before sunrise, and in the evening - after sunset).
• It is necessary to feed an adult plant once a year in spring period. For this procedure, the most commonly used ready mixes. Also in the spring, this plant is pruned.

In the first year of life, the thuja needs to ensure a full wintering. P, the tree will be able to prepare itself for winter period, to gain the necessary substances for wintering. But if the planting of the columnar thuja is done in the fall, then this tree will become completely defenseless before wintering and will require special care. To do this, cover the thuja with white nonwoven fabric, which will provide her with a sufficient amount of moisture during the wintering period. The roots of this plant also need to be sheltered from negative influences. low temperatures. To do this, pour the leaves around the tree trunk.

Preparation for wintering is carried out in October-November.

Reproduction of the columnar thuja is carried out in two ways - cuttings and seeds.

The reproduction of this plant is a rather lengthy process. It takes five to six years. When using this method, thuja retains all its decorative properties. Seeds ripen in the cones of this plant. It must be left in the ground in the fall. Initially, the cones are placed in a warm place, and after they open, get seeds from them and soak in water for 10 hours. Next, the seeds are planted in the ground. A year after planting the seeds, the height of the plant will reach 60 centimeters.

Most often at home, thuja is bred by cuttings:

• Planting cuttings is carried out in the autumn.
• To grow a plant from a cutting, it needs to provide a warm room with a high level of humidity.
• For cuttings, it is necessary to select lignified shoots.
• Initially, they must be placed in water for two hours, and then planted in the ground.
• The soil contains river sand, peat and turf land in equal quantities.

Reproduction and cultivation of thuja is not a very laborious process, although it takes a lot of time.

At the same time, the plant is unpretentious in care, which explains its high degree of use in landscape designs of various sites.

More information can be found in the video.

A beautiful and well-groomed plot is the dream of any gardener and owner of a private house. Today, designers can create absolutely any landscape composition, using famous plants and quite exotic. Thuja colonata is a variety of western arborvitae, which is an excellent decoration of the site, as it retains its bright green appearance throughout the year.

This is a coniferous evergreen plant that has a charming aroma, dense crown and unpretentious care. Thuja western columnar can be used for absolutely any garden composition, to create a dense hedge, beautiful trees with an unusual crown shape, which is easily achieved due to the fit of the branches to the trunk, providing a columnar shape.

In this article, we will consider the features of growing columnar arborvitae, we will give a description of the most popular varieties of this variety of evergreen tree. Also note important points planting and caring for the western columnar thuja.

Morphological description and features of the columnar thuja

Thuja western columnar is an evergreen coniferous plant, which belongs to the genus Gymnosperms. All varieties of thuja are included in the large Cypress family, which also includes juniper, cypress, cypress and many others. On the territory of Russia, representatives of the columnar thuja are not found in nature. Around the 16th century, this plant came to Europe with East Asia and America, which are the natural habitat of the columnar thuja. Now, many varieties of the western columnar thuja are grown in gardens and household plots in temperate and northern latitudes.

The very name of the evergreen tree "thuja" is of ancient Greek origin. Scientific Latin name is based on the ancient Greek root, which in translation means "sacrifice, incense." This is due to the fact that some aromatic varieties of thuja were used in rituals in ancient times to obtain a pleasant smell.

Today there are 6 types of thuja, among which there are trees and shrubs with various crown shapes. There are several forms of thuja crown:

• columnar;
• pyramidal;
• wide-conical;
• spherical.

All these varieties fit perfectly into any landscape design, creating the most incredible compositions and bizarre shapes. Among them, it is the columnar thuja that is especially popular, with the crown of which you can create incredible figures.

Description of thuja columnar:

• Thuja kolonovidnaya is an evergreen coniferous tree or shrub, which is naturally distributed in North America.
• In nature, this tree can reach a height of 20-25 m and is considered a tall representative of conifers, however, in gardens and on summer cottages thuja columnar can grow only 10-11 m, and most often this plant reaches 2-3 m.
• The root system of the columnar thuja is powerful, but compact and does not grow much.
• The bark of the tree is light brown or reddish, exfoliating.
• Thuja columnar is the most durable representative of this family and can grow in one place for about 100 years.
• In this type of tree, the crown has a pyramidal or columnar shape, hence the name thuja. In width, it can grow by about 1-1.5 m.
• The needles are very tight to the trunk, located on horizontal branches. The needles of the thuja are not represented by needles, as in other conifers, but by tightly fitting scales.
• In summer, the needles are dark green tint and brownish-green in winter. Updated about once every 2-3 years.
• The scales are very small, only 2-4 mm in length.
• The flowers of this plant are not at all decorative, monoecious, located singly.
• After the end of flowering on the columnar thuja appears a large number of fruits in the form of small cones.
• The length of one cone is approximately 1 cm, they are ovoid in shape and have two seeds with wings inside.
• Thuja kolonovidnaya is an ideal evergreen for urban plantings, as this tree perfectly tolerates gas, dust and lack of oxygen.
• This variety is also distinguished by an excellent level of winter hardiness, it can withstand frost down to -36 degrees without shelter.
• Due to its dense crown, thuja columnar is often used to create hedges and for windproof plantings.
• The tree lends itself perfectly to pruning, however, the formation of a crown for a columnar thuja is not necessary, since it already keeps the shape of a column or cone.
• Thuja columnar easily tolerates transplantation and is absolutely unpretentious in planting and care.

A variety of varieties of thuja columnar

Today there are a large number of thuja varieties that have a columnar or pyramidal shape crowns. All these varieties have found popularity and love among gardeners who use thuja columnar to create incredible landscape designs. All varieties of arborescent thuja are compact in size, reaching an average height of 3 meters. Consider the description of the most popular and common varieties of columnar thuja.

• Variety "Brabant". It is a beautiful evergreen coniferous tree, which by the age of 10 can reach about 3-3.5 meters. The crown has a broadly columnar shape, which can be about 1-1.5 m in diameter. This variety of columnar thuja is one of the fastest growing, a tree can grow by about 30-35 cm per year. Thuja needles of a rich green hue, which winter time becomes greenish brown. Thuja columnar Brabant has a good level of frost resistance. Flowering begins around spring, after which cones are formed on the branches, which are ovoid in shape. Cones in length reach 0.8-1.2 cm. Thuja of this variety perfectly tolerates a haircut, the tree is not demanding on the planting site and care. Ideal for making dense hedge creations.

• Variety "Smaragd". The tree reaches a height of 2.5 m by 10 years, an adult thuja can grow up to 3.5-4 m. The crown has a narrow columnar shape up to 1 m in diameter. The needles of this tree have a bright green tint that does not change even in winter. The branches are located very close to each other, which makes the crown dense. This variety of columnar thuja is distinguished by a very slow growth rate, as well as a rather capricious attitude to soil and watering. Thuya Smaragd is rarely used to create a hedge, as top part the crown does not close. Ideal for solitary plantings or for conditional demarcation of a garden or plot. It is a hardy tree that can be grown both outdoors and in a container.
• Variety of thuja columnar "Columna". An adult plant of the columnar thuja Columna reaches 5-6 meters, by the age of 10 the tree can be approximately 2.5-3 m. It is distinguished by a narrow columnar crown, reaching 1.3 m in diameter. The crown is formed by short branches that are very close to each other . The needles have a rich green tint, which practically does not change in winter. Differs in fairly rapid growth - up to about 20 cm per year. The thuja of this variety has a good level of winter hardiness, the tree is not demanding on soils and tolerates shearing well. Tuyu Columna can be used to create hedges, as well as single and group plantings.

• Variety "Holmstrup". Thuja of this variety in height can reach 2 m by the age of 10, an adult plant can grow by 3-3.5 m. It is distinguished by a narrow columnar crown, which is formed by branches tightly adjacent to each other. The color of the needles is dark green, practically does not change in winter. The crown is very compact and dense. Thuja of this variety is very frost-resistant and unpretentious to soils, tolerates a haircut perfectly. It grows slowly, in a year it can grow by only 10 cm. It reaches its final height only by the age of 40. It is used to create a hedge, for single and group plantings.
• Variety "Yellow Ribbon". Thuja of this variety is a tree that by the age of 10 can reach a height of 2.5-3 m. It is distinguished by a narrow conical crown shape, which has a low density. The needles of a bright yellow hue. Whimsical to the composition of the soil, used in contrasting plantings.
• Variety "Aurea Pyramidalis". The columnar thuja of this variety can reach a height of 5-6 meters, by the age of 10 you can get an evergreen beauty up to 2-2.5 m in height. It is distinguished by a narrow pyramidal crown, which grows significantly over the years due to the fact that the tree has several trunks. The crown consists of flexible, slightly twisted shoots. The variety is demanding on soil and watering. It belongs to the group of frost-resistant varieties of arborvitae. Used to create solitary and group plantings.

• Tui variety "Aurescens". An evergreen tree grows on average up to 8-12 m in height, therefore it is most often used for very large-scale plantings in parks and alleys. The crown is columnar, rather wide, formed by thick and dense branches. The needles have a dark green saturated shade with small white stripes. The variety is characterized by whimsicality to the place of planting and soil.
• Variety "Excelsa". This is a tall representative of thuja, which can reach a height of about 9-12 m. The tree grows 3-4 meters wide, so most often thuja of this variety are used for planting in parks and for decorating powerful large-scale landscape compositions. The crown has a columnar shape, which is formed by arcuate shoots directed upwards. Dark green needles rich color, very shiny.

Reproduction of thuja columnar: the most common methods

Thuja kolonovidnaya is one of the most popular evergreen trees for landscaping the site. This beautiful and bright tree can be easily bred on your own at home, for this you just need to know the most common methods and features of their use. Thuja columnar propagates in the following ways: by seeds and cuttings. Each option has its own rules, which are important to follow in order to get a healthy and strong tree.

Seed propagation of thuja columnar

• This method of reproduction is rarely used, as the result will be a plant without maternal characteristics and varietal differences. Most often it is used by breeders to develop new varieties of thuja.
• A young plant can be obtained only after 5-6 years.
• To breed a columnar thuja in this way, you will need freshly harvested seeds that ripen by autumn.
• They must first be removed from the cones. To do this, the collected ripe cones are placed in a warm place for a while - this is necessary in order for the scales to open. After that, the seeds are extracted.
• Before planting, the seeds must be soaked in water for about 10 hours.
• Further planting material needs stratification. This process can be carried out in natural conditions under snow, or you can place the seeds in the soil and put the container in the refrigerator.
• Seeds of thuja columnar are sown immediately in open ground to a depth of only 0.5 cm. On top of the beds, it is enough to sprinkle with sawdust of coniferous wood.
• It is important to cover thuja crops from the sun and constantly loosen and water.
• During the first season, young seedlings of the columnar thuja grow by only 7-8 cm.
• For the winter, crops must be covered with spruce branches and film.
• Tui seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the third year, when young plants grow up to 50 cm.

Reproduction of thuja columnar cuttings

• Propagation by cuttings is one of the most popular ways to obtain young seedlings of the columnar thuja.
• Planting material for planting is harvested in June. For this, two-year-old shoots about 20-40 cm long or annual twigs 10-15 cm long are used.
• Thuja cuttings cannot be cut, they must be torn off with a piece of bark, the so-called heel. After that, the cut site is treated with heteroauxin or charcoal.
• Before planting, all cuttings can be placed in a rooting solution for a while, which will contribute to the fastest rooting.
• Planting material is planted in greenhouses or a greenhouse, containers can also be used.
• For rooting cuttings, a soil mixture of sod land, peat and sand. Before planting, it is recommended to shed the earth with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
• The cuttings are rooted to a depth of about 1.5-2 cm.
• After planting, all planting material is covered with a film to maintain the required level of humidity and temperature.
• The cuttings of the thuja columnar prefer very moist air, they do not water the plants, but spray them with a spray bottle.
• After rooting, the cuttings begin to gradually ventilate and harden, after which the film is completely removed.
• In deep autumn, the cuttings are covered with spruce branches and foliage, and in severe frosts they are covered with a film.

Preparation before planting thuja columnar

Thuja columnar is considered one of the most popular trees among gardeners, as this evergreen plant is characterized by unpretentiousness and good frost resistance, which is important when growing plantings in the climatic conditions of our country. Growing thuja is not difficult even for beginner gardeners, it is enough to carry out competent preparatory work. First of all, it is necessary to acquire high-quality and healthy seedlings and find on your site ideally appropriate place for planting a young tree.

Stage 1. The choice of varieties and seedlings of the columnar thuja

• The success of the correct planting of the columnar arborvitae is a choice suitable variety tree. It is important to choose evergreen tree with a good level of frost resistance, especially if you are going to plant seedlings in a temperate climate.
• The choice of seedlings will also depend on the intended planting site, where it is important to consider the height of an adult plant. Approximate height adult thuja columnar is 2.5-3 meters.
• You can buy thuja columnar in specialized garden stores or nurseries that are professionally engaged in plant breeding.
• In the store you can buy seedlings of various ages and different heights. It is best to buy young plants from 2-3 years old, they will take root better.
• Before buying, be sure to check the condition of the seedlings. They should not have visible damage, dry or yellow branches of needles. The soil in the container should be moist and clean. The plant should also be free of signs of disease or pests.
• Seedlings with a closed root system can be purchased at any time of the year.

Stage 2. Choosing a place and soil for planting a columnar arborvitae

• Thuja kolonovidnaya prefers to grow in well-lit sunny places, however, it is important that direct sunlight is only part of the day.
• It is necessary that the site has natural or artificial shading of young trees. In the open sun, the needles may turn yellow.
• The choice of a place for planting will also depend on the planned garden composition, for this you need to select seedlings of various heights.
• Also, when choosing a site, it is important to remember that the columnar thuja does not tolerate drafts, especially for young seedlings.
• The plant prefers nutritious and fertile soil, consisting of soddy soil, peat and sand, better than river. You can choose a place with loamy soil.
• Thuja loves moist soils, however, he has a negative attitude towards stagnant water at the roots, so pick up slightly elevated areas and places where there is no close occurrence ground water. You can take care of a good layer of drainage before planting.

Planting thuja columnar in open ground

• In temperate latitudes, it is recommended to plant thuja seedlings in a columnar spring, since autumn planting does not guarantee rooting young plant before the onset of winter.
• Before planting, it is important to prepare the soil for planting. To do this, the selected area must be carefully dug up and removed all the rhizomes of nettles and other weeds, as they can drown out the growth of thuja. After that, peat and humus are added to the soil, while the natural fertilizer should not be fresh. Monthly manure is allowed.
• All arborvitae are columnar in height, reaching an average of 2-3 meters by the age of 10, respectively, their root system is quite powerful. Planting holes should be 20-30 cm larger than the roots with earthy clod. Approximate dimensions should be as follows: 60-100 cm in depth and width.
• When preparing planting holes, also consider how many seedlings will grow nearby. If you plant several thujas, keep a distance of about 1.5-2 m. When creating a hedge, the distance should be less, about 50-60 cm.
• at the bottom of each landing pit it is necessary to place a layer of drainage. This will remove the remaining moisture from the roots. Can be used as drainage broken brick, small stones or gravel.
• Next, you need to prepare the seedlings. The soil in containers is watered abundantly, after which the plant is carefully removed along with an earthen clod around the roots.
• Pour on the drainage layer soil mixture and then seedlings are placed.
• It is important to ensure that the root neck is slightly above the soil surface.
• Fill the seedlings with soil and compact it very carefully with your hands, being careful not to damage the plant.
• After planting, each plant must be watered abundantly. One seedling should have about 2-3 buckets of water.
• The trunk circle must be mulched to protect the root system from temperature changes. As mulch, you can use sawdust, tree bark, peat. It is important to ensure that the mulch does not cover the trunk and lower branches. From this they can start to rush.

Agrotechnics of growing thuja columnar: secrets and nuances of care

Caring for the columnar thuja does not require additional knowledge - it is exactly the same as caring for other representatives of this genus. The main thing is to pay attention to the plant, especially in the first years after planting.

• Watering. The columnar thuja needs regular and abundant watering, since when the needles of the tree dry out, they can begin to dry and turn yellow. Young seedlings are watered about 2 times in 7 days, using 2-3 buckets for each plant. During the growth period, thuja columnar is watered 1-2 times a week. For each seedling should be 1.5-2 buckets of water. This plant is also very supportive of sprinkling, so when planting in spring, it is recommended to spray the crown with a hose. If the summer is very hot, then you need to spray the thuja twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, this will remove dust from the tree and saturate it with moisture.
• Loosening and mulching. Regularly, the soil around the seedlings needs to be loosened. This must be done to a depth of 10 cm. After each loosening of the soil, it is important to add mulch to retain moisture at the roots and protect from direct sunlight. The bark of coniferous trees or peat is used as mulch. It is recommended to remove all weeds that may interfere with the full growth of seedlings.
• Top dressing of thuja columnar. If a thuja columnar seedling is planted in nutritious and fertile soil, then it is enough to fertilize the soil 2 times per season. In this case, the first top dressing is made only after 2 years. The first time they feed the thuja in the spring, while using nitrogen-containing fertilizers such as ammonium nitrate. The second time top dressing is applied at the end of summer, during this period you can use calcium and phosphate fertilizers type of nitroammofoski.
• Pruning thuja. Columnar thujas have a pyramidal or conical shape of a horse, but this does not mean that from the moment of planting, the crown of each plant grows perfectly even. There are varieties in which the needles are fluffy and require pruning. When buying, it is important to inspect the seedling, usually these plants have several leading shoots, it is important to remove all but one. Pruning should be done in the spring, removing all dry and broken branches. Forming a crown, it is allowed to cut branches to a maximum of 1/3 of the length.
• Preparing for winter. Thuja kolonovidnaya is a frost-resistant plant, however, its branches growing upwards can break off from snow and ice. To prevent this from happening, it is important to build a reliable shelter. Can be put around the seedling wooden slats in the form of a hut and wrap them with burlap or white lutrasil.

Photo of thuja columnar

Thuja columnar is an evergreen beauty that can be grown without problems in a cooler climate than natural environment habitat. Do not be afraid, there will be no difficulties with planting and care, since this plant is quite unpretentious if all the rules of preparation and planting are followed. As a result, you will get a beautiful and modern site with chic coniferous trees.