Types and varieties of thuja grown in summer cottages
Conifers are becoming more and more popular. And one of the main roles in gardening is played by thuja, the types and varieties with a photo of which amaze with a variety of shapes, sizes and surprisingly elegant colors. The ancestors of modern thujas were wild North American shrubs, first systematized and described by Carl Linnaeus.
If in nature this evergreen plant often looks like a large shrub or tree as high as a multi-storey building, then dwarf varieties no higher than a meter are often planted in squares and gardens. The dense crown of wild plants thanks to the efforts of breeders in decorative thuja became pyramidal and round, ovoid or columnar.
The species called Thuja occidentalis, or Thuja western, in the photo, since the end of the 18th century, it has expanded significantly due to ornamental plants, which are significantly different from the first ones discovered from the north of the American continent.
- study the offered varieties, types and photos of thujs;
- compare their strengths and weaknesses;
- create all conditions for active growth and long life of plants.
Along with the western thuja, other types of this conifer are used in landscaping. Most often it is folded thuja, as well as biota, due to Asian origin, called eastern thuja.
Thuja western Danica (T. occidentalis Danica)
Among the most popular varieties is the thuja Danica shown in the photo with a very compact dense crown in the shape of a ball. A small, almost dwarf plant ideal for low curbs, single and group plantings on spacious lawns or in secluded corners of the garden, against the background of larger trees, ornamental shrubs and even flowers.
At a height of 60 cm, the diameter of the crown of thuja Danik is 80–100 cm. Strongly branching shoots are covered with soft scaly needles, which in the warm season are painted in bright light green tones, and by autumn they become reddish-bronze. The Danish variety, bred in 1948, is characterized by a very unhurried growth, therefore, the thuja, even without a haircut, retains its shape well.
The advantages of the ephedra include frost resistance, the ability to grow in partial shade and not be exposed to spring burns, which seriously spoil the appearance.
Thuja western Miriam (Thuja occidentalis Mirjam)
Thuja western proved to be excellent material for the work of breeders. Today, the ancestors of modern varieties are already beloved varieties, such as Danica. You can see that photos of this species and the variety of thuja Miriam have many similarities.
The plant, obtained thanks to the noticed and fixed mutation of the needles, is a direct descendant of the Danish variety. He has the same compact spherical crown up to 80 cm in diameter, small annual growth and excellent endurance.
The main difference between thuja Miriam is the yellow-green summer color of scaly needles, which turns brownish in winter.
Tuyu Miriam is recommended on soil with a slightly acidic reaction. Until the plant takes root, the soil is kept moist. In the future, the shrub becomes more resistant to drought, but grows better with regular watering.The ephedra fits perfectly into the landscape of a Japanese garden, it will be appropriate at the foot of an alpine slide or against the background of rich greenery of larger crops.
Thuja western Rheingold (T. occidentalis Rheingold)
Golden needles and an attractive, wide-conical crown are the reasons why thuja Reingold enjoys special attention from the owners of country houses. In the original color of the shrub with cold weather, bronze tones appear, which do not spoil either the appearance of the thuja or the entire landscape. This variety belongs to the dwarf. Only in very old plants can the crown grow up to 2.5 meters in height. This, due to the slow growth rate, occurs only 15–20 years after planting.
The shrub is equally good as a tapeworm and as part of a decorative hedge. A young plant takes root in a container and perfectly decorates terraces, winter gardens, loggias and balconies. Thin, flexible shoots of this variety of thuja tolerate a haircut well, which helps to maintain a beautiful crown shape and a healthy look of needles.
Thuja western Spiralis (T. occidentalis Spiralis)
Pyramidal thuja and varieties with a narrow conical crown are indispensable for hedges that retain their beauty and functionality throughout the year. Today, gardeners have many similar plants at their disposal, and thuja Spiralis is one of them.
This ephedra is characterized by an original, spirally twisted form of shoots, which gave the name to the variety. The crown of an adult specimen looks like a narrow cone and reaches a height of 3 meters. The branches are densely covered with scaly needles of a rich green hue.
Since this thuja grows faster than other closely related plants, shrubs require regular cutting and proper selection of a planting site. In the shade, the thuja becomes loose, loses its regular shape.
Thuja western Golden Tuffet (T. occidentalis Golden Tuffet)
Another dwarf shrub with a spherical crown stands out with bright yellow needles, which lag behind the thin, drooping shoots at the ends of the shoots and acquires a warm, reddish-brown or orange tone in the cold.
To thuja Golden Taffett show its best qualities, they select a well-lit area with moderately fertile loose soil. If the crown of the shrub stays in the shade for a long time, its color will fade and lose most of its attractiveness.
In the garden, a plant of this species and variety, as in the photo of thuja, will perfectly decorate a rocky corner, a border, a small lawn next to heathers, tall flowering perennials that do not shade small bright conifers.
Thuja western heather (T. occidentalis var.ericoides)
In favorable conditions, heather forms dense dense thickets. Thuja heather does not have this ability, but the shrubs have much in common in shape. The multi-stemmed branched crown of the ephedra, expanding, becomes an irregular ball about a meter in diameter.
The shoots are covered with soft needle-like needles, which in the upper part of the bush have a bright green or yellowish color. On perennial wood, greens are colored in calmer silvery or grayish shades.
A characteristic feature of the variety is an unusual winter color with a predominance of purple and brown colors.
Thuja western Amber (T. occidentalis Jantar)
A yellow shade of summer and a bright, honey-amber color of winter needles is a characteristic feature of thuja Amber with a cynic crown with a height of 1.8 to 3.5 meters. Although this variety has recently become available to lovers of conifers, thanks to the density of the crown, its original color and unpretentiousness, the plant has already found many admirers.
Thuja is winter-hardy, easily adapts to the conditions of a modern city. The shrub does not suffer from the active spring sun and, with an increase of about 10–20 cm per year, maintains the correct natural shape.
Thuja Yantar is suitable for growing both outdoors and in containers. In this case, the plant will decorate a spacious outdoor terrace, balcony or paved area near the house.
Thuja western Mr. Bowling Ball (T. occidentalis Mr. Bowling Ball)
Dwarf thuja Bowling Ball with an openwork spherical crown attracts attention not only by its small size, but also by silvery thin needles, leaving an impression of lightness and tenderness. In autumn, bronze strokes appear on the shoots, which persist until spring.
Like most miniature varieties, this thuja has a very low growth rate. Therefore, only by 10–15 years the plant reaches a diameter of 70–90 cm. The shrub does not need frequent cutting, it is enough to remove damaged shoots in the spring and slightly adjust the spherical shape.
Thuja western Little Champion (T. occidentalis Little Champion)
The characteristic features of the Little Champion thuja are a rounded ovoid crown and green scaly needles, which turn brownish-brown for the winter. The variety belongs to miniature, almost dwarf. By the age of 10, the shrub reaches a height of no more than one and a half meters. The plant does not add more than 6-10 cm per year and can be used both in group plantings and as a single plant at the base of large stones, next to coniferous or deciduous trees. From the thuja of this variety, a free-form border or an excellent pot culture will be obtained.
Tuya Little Champion tolerates a haircut well, but does not need frequent pruning. The plant is unpretentious, survives winters without serious losses, tolerates urban air pollution and irregular droughts.
Thuja western Filiformis (T. occidentalis Filiformis)
Most varieties of western thuja have strong branches, but there are exceptions. These include the decorative thuja Filiformis with original filamentous branches, thanks to which the shrub takes on the appearance of a small heap of hay. Light green scaly needles fit tightly drooping shoots and emphasize the unusualness of the plant.
Slowly growing coniferous culture is sun-loving, does not tolerate long and regular dry periods, but at the same time does not look oppressed when grown in a tub or in an urban environment. By the age of 10, the wide-pyramidal thuja reaches a height of 1.5–2 meters with almost the same crown diameter. Thuja Foliformis is versatile and due to its unusual beauty will surely become a bright star of the garden.
Thuja western Wagneri (T. occidentalis Wagneri)
This variety of thuja with gray-green needles is suitable for growing in regions with cold winters. The plant's high frost resistance is not its only advantage. Thuja Wagneri has a dense ovoid crown thanks to the many thin, abundantly branching shoots. It perfectly keeps its natural shape and does not require laborious maintenance.
When planting a shrub, it must be borne in mind that an adult specimen reaches a height of 3.5 meters, and its crown grows to one and a half meters in width.
So that such a bulky plant does not lose its attractiveness in spring, it is tied in the fall. This will protect the shoots of thuja from breaks and desiccation.
Thuja western Little Giant (T. occidentalis Little Giant)
Small giant. This name of this variety of thuja is fully justified, because the spherical crown of thuja Little Giant does not exceed half a meter in height, but such a beautiful plant cannot be overlooked even among the most luxurious flowers and trees.
The dwarf form of the ephedra is one of the smallest. It perfectly keeps the natural appearance of a dense sphere. In summer, the thuja is dressed in bright green needles, which change color to brown with cold weather.
Thuja western Fastigiata (T. occidentalis Fastigiata)
Reminding cypress thuja Fastigiata, thanks to the upwardly directed shoots, has the shape of a dense column. A powerful plant with green fragrant needles never changes color, tolerates frosts without visible losses and can grow up to 6 meters in height.
According to the description of the variety, thuja is ideal for hedgeswhich will successfully hide the area from prying eyes, but will not take up much space.
Thuja western Sunkist (T. occidentalis Sunkist)
Thuja with golden needles is one of the most original garden decorations.They do not lose their beauty in winter, they look great next to their green counterparts. Thuja western Sankist has very bright lemon yellow summer needles. In winter, the dense crown of the shrub becomes darker, almost bronze.
Due to its slow growth and good adaptability, the shrub does not need frequent deep trimming. At the age of 10, the coniferous culture grows up to 2 meters. The maximum height of this thuja is three meters, which allows the Sunkist to be used for living walls and spectacular green sculptures.
Thuja folded Kan-Kan (T. plicata Can-Can)
Cone-shaped thuja Kankan, like other folded thuja varieties, demonstrates high winter hardiness and extreme unpretentiousness. A shrub about one and a half meters high is covered with dense glossy needles, dark green on perennial wood and lighter, brighter on the ends of the shoots. The variety has a rare ability for thuja. It retains its color throughout the year, while the average annual growth of the shrub does not exceed 10 cm.
Thuja folded Kornik (T. plicata Kornik)
Polish breeders received the original folded thuja form with a conical crown, consisting of wide green-yellow shoots. Thuja Kornik is quite large. With a properly chosen planting site and a little care, three-meter shrubs turn into dense beautiful hedges with fragrant needles.
Thuja folded Vipkord (T. plicata Whipcord)
Thuja Vipcord owes its name to the form of shoots that resemble a hanging rope. The branches of the plant have little branching, are covered with pointed scaly needles, and throughout their length retain a small thickness and drooping shape. Thanks to this, an adult ephedra has the form of a hemisphere with a height of 50 to 100 cm and a diameter of up to 150 cm. The bush perfectly holds the wind load, survives frosty winters, does not lose its decorative effect in full sun. However, drought can cause irreparable harm to the shrub and its beauty.
The originality of the variety attracts not only ordinary summer residents, but also masters of topiary art, who, with the help of a painstaking haircut, give the plants the most bizarre shapes.