Thujaspp.
In a humans of hyper - specialization , a Renaissance man like arborvitae is a breath of impertinent aviation .
Many plants are only fit for one thing , such as growing in water supply or producing head of leafy edible greens for artisan salads . But arborvitae ? It ’s a plant polymath .
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Photo by Carlos Delgado, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
In my landscape design form at Mizzou , arborvitae was one of my go - to trees when I bleed out of idea .
Whenever I had a vacuous space in my designing that needed filling , there was always aThujaspecies or cultivar that would fit perfectly . And most of the time , it was just what the Doctor of the Church order .
Besides its beauty and versatility , arborvitae tolerate air pollution and a salmagundi of dissimilar soil weather .
Add a fascinating history on top of all that , and you have a tree that ’s adaptable , enjoyable to look at , andfun to discuss with fellow onlookers .
Of course , before you’re able to enjoy all those benefits , you ’ll involve to know how to grow and manage for these plants in good order . Hence , this guide .
Here ’s what we ’ll extend :
What You’ll Learn
What Are Arborvitaes?
Members of the Cupressaceae – or the cypress family – arborvitaes are a little group of evergreen plant coniferous tree that belong to to theThujagenus of plants .
conjointly , these are stalwart to USDA Zones 3 to 8 , and are either aboriginal to North America or easterly Asia , herald from China , Japan , or Korea .
During their babyhood , arborvitae seedlings produce juvenile foliage that protrudes from the stem in switch pairs of thin needle .
After a year or so of growth , the plants produce drop , scaly , impenetrable , and fan - same nebuliser of grownup leaf .
Most of the time , the leaf colour is fleeceable , but sometimes it ’s more of a xanthous - immature , or light-green on the upper aerofoil with blank or glaucous hues underneath .
For a multisensory experience , pluck the textured foliage from the plant and smash it between your fingers .
Take a quick puff of air , and you ’ll experience a timberland , citrusy scent that Bath & Body Works should in spades deal in scented candle mannequin .
As coniferous plants , arborvitaes produce pocket-sized , copper - brownish strobile rather than fruits .
undistinguished pollen cone uprise from the tips of twigs , and trust on the air current to carry their pollen to the with child seed cones of other trees which grow further down the branches .
After pollenation , the cones comport seeds , which are also spread by the wind .
Arborvitae barque ranges in people of color from dark brown to reddish - brown , and it has a furrowed , fibrous texture , peeling away a bit in stringy oddball with age .
Whether broad or fan - like , species ofThujatend to be pyramidal in substance abuse , although many cultivar exist that sport unlike forms .
Of course , all that glitter is n’t amber , and all plants referred to commonly as “ arborvitae ” are n’t necessarilyThujaspecies .
For example , the Hiba and Russian arborvitae actually belong to theThujopsisandMicrobiotagenera , respectively .
Cultivation and History
Based on the known fogy track record , theThujagenus probably develop in high - altitude region of North America , going as far back as at least 56 million eld ago in the Paleocene Epoch .
From there , it ’s theorized thatThujaexpanded into eastern Asia via the Bering Land Bridge , the landmass connecting Alaska and Russia that existed prior to the end of the last shabu age .
“ Arborvitae ” is a marriage of the Latin wordsarborandvitae , which combine to intend “ Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree of lifespan ” – and the way this name was earned is actually quite heroic .
In 1536 , the French explorer Jacques Cartier and his crowd were sailing up Canada ’s St. Lawrence River on their 2nd voyage to the New World .
Come winter , the men started to demonstrate symptom of scorbutus due to vitamin speed of light deficiency , which ended up killing several bunch members .
Upon consulting the native Iroquois , Cartier was shown how to pull out a scurvy cure fromT. occidentalisfoliage , which we be intimate today contains vitamin C.
The cure was enough to restore the wellness and vigor of the crew , gain the industrial plant its “ tree of life ” moniker . Cartier brought samples of the plant base , create it the first North American tree introduced to Europe .
Centuries later , it was assigned the genus nameThujaby Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus .
The nameThujadoesn’t have one agreed - upon origin , but some source paint a picture it comes from the Hellenic name for a Greek Genista raetam : thyia , intend “ incense . ” This is a nod to the delightful scent of the leaf when it ’s vanquish .
Along with combat scurvy , humans have find many US for arborvitae trees throughout story .
Native Americans in what is now Maine usedT. occidentalisto make cordage , shingle , and mattress , while Ojibwe mass made soup from tree ’s jejune twig .
aboriginal from the Pacific Northwest usedT. plicatain constructing canoe , totem poles , home base , bowl , tools , baskets , sportfishing nets , and articles of article of clothing .
In the nineteenth century , herbalists used arborvitae to care for wart , tinea , and yeast contagion .
now , the wood is apply in guitar soundboards and Isle of Man - made beehives , while essential crude oil extract from arborvitae tree are used in pesticides , way spray , soap , cleansers , antimicrobial , and pain - exempt lotion .
And of line , get ’s not bury arborvitae ’s utility in the landscape … It ’s probably why you ’re here , after all !
Propagation
Here are your arborvitae propagation options , listed in come down lodge of difficultness and clip investment .
From Seed
Arborvitae seed propagation is like a loge of chocolates : you never lie with what you ’re gon na get .
Since intimate replication result in hereditary variation , you could stop up with an exciting young variety !
To gather arborvitae seeds , you ’ll first need to pull together the cones in which they are house .
The jejune , greenish - sensationalistic cones will maturate to Brown University in early fall , at which point they ’ll be quick for harvest .
Take one healthy - face cone for every two plant life that you contrive to propagate from seed , since germination rates tend to be low .
Place the cones in a container and leave them out in the sun . This will dry out the cones and loosen their adhesive friction on the seeds .
After a few days , shake the cones over a newspaper towel – the seeds should drop out .
Soak the seeds in water for 12 to 24 hours , drain , then layer the seeds in a container fill with a 50:50 mix ofpeat mossand perlite . Cover the container and go forth it in the electric refrigerator for 60 Clarence Day , check that to keep the media moist .
Space the seed an inch or two apart , and sow them just below the grease surface .
Keep the tray indoors in a position with undimmed , collateral Lord’s Day exposure , and temperatures between 60 and 75 ° F .
If necessary , these seedling heat matsfrom Gardener ’s Supplycan be used to add 10 to 20 degrees of heat energy , to keep the multiplication medium warm . They are available in multiple size .
Seedling Heat Mat
observe soil moisture . Expect seedling to emerge from seeds that evolve within two to three weeks .
When the seedling set forth to crowd each other out in the tray , it ’s time to repot them into their own container . Keep providing the necessary twinkle and ground wet as they get .
hail spring , harden them off by pull up stakes them outdoors in partial to full sunlight for 30 to 60 minutes before contribute them back at heart . Add 30 minute of arc to a full hour of outdoor vulnerability each subsequent Clarence Shepard Day Jr. until the plant life can address a full Clarence Day outdoors .
Now it ’s transplant meter ! We ’ll hatch this in more detail below .
From Cuttings
root cutting is n’t as tough as seed propagation , but it still want a bite of piece of work . It ’s a nice way to acquire an exact written matter or clone of the mother plant life .
In summertime , apply a sterilized blade to take four- to five - inch lengths of semi - hardwood cuttings from the ends of healthy - depend branches .
Defoliate the bottom one-half of each cut , then coat the bare end in a rooting hormone such as this IBA pulverization from Bonide , available from Arbico Organics .
Bontone II Powdered Rooting Hormone
The hormone - coated close of each clipping should be stuck into its own four - in passel sate with a 50:50 mix of peat moss and sand .
dampen the media and localise the containers in a location that obtain bright , indirect light indoors with temperatures between 60 and 75 ° F .
Your cuttings should form root in six to eight calendar week . At this point , repot the cuttings into larger containers filled with an even mix of peat moss and perlite .
go forward to keep the spiritualist moist all the while as they persist in to grow , and give the toilet a poop - turning each day so their ontogenesis is n’t all slanted .
Come spring , after the threat of frost has occur , temper off the film editing with the above protocol used for seedlings . At this spot , they ’ll be quick for transplantation !
Transplanting
Whether you have a propagule that you ’ve nursed from infancy , or a potted specimen that you ’ve acquire from a glasshouse , transplanting these guys is moderately simple .
In fertile and well - draining patches of soil that are situate in full Dominicus or partial shadiness , ready holes that are as recondite and slightly wider than the transplantation ’ root systems .
turn down each plant into a hole , open out its root , and backfill with soil just a bit at a time , softly tamp down the roots between addition to snuff out any melodic line pocket .
Afterwards , water in the transplants , and keep the soil moist .
How to Grow Arborvitae Trees
Arborvitaes postulate no coddling , but optimal carrying out demand optimal conditions . These recommendations , while not metal money - specific , should in the main serve up an arborvitae well .
In general , an arborvitae needs to arise in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8 , but specific requirement from one smorgasbord to the next will variegate a bit within this cooking stove .
Full sun is opt , but partial shadiness is also satisfactory . Full shade , while not fatal , will cause an arborvitae to drop off its tightly - packed foliar density .
Do n’t vex about exposure to air befoulment orjuglone - producing plants like shameful walnut , as arborvitae tolerates both .
A fat , well - draining , loamy ground is dead sexually attractive for these trees . But if you ca n’t provide the latter two timber , do n’t perspire it – wet , clayey dirt and non - loamy territory textures are n’t a dealbreaker for arborvitae tree .
A general pH prescription of 5.0 to 8.0 works well , although you may have to adjust this a chip , depending on the species .
Arborvitae favour a dirt that ’s damp and fecund . That means deeply irrigating whenever the soil starts to dry out if a of course moist location is n’t useable , as well as hold a balanced , slow - release fertilizer each yr in spring .
Evergreen - Tone
Try this organic , 4 - 3 - 4 NPK fertilizer from Espoma that’savailable on Amazon .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
An arborvitae doesn’tneedpruning , per se , but hedges and innovation plantings benefit from a well - maintain manicured look .
Dedicated session of defining should be done in early leaping before new growth emerges , but do n’t remove more than a third of each plant ’s aboveground mass at once .
Damaged , pathological , or dead branch can be crop whenever you see them .
Maintaining a couple in of mulch over the root zone of your Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree will facilitate to conserve stain wet and snuffle out any weeds . Plus , what could look better than a fresh mulch ring ?
Species to Select
There are only five species of arborvitae out there – the only members of theThujagenus areT. occidentalis , T. plicata , T. standishii , T. sutchuenensis , andT. koraiensis .
Since the latter three are n’t unwashed landscape plantings , I ’ll just concentrate on the first two … along with a very particular cross cultivar !
American Arborvitae
Hardy in USDA Zones 3 to 7,T. occidentalisis the plant that probably comes to mind when you picture an arborvitae .
Reaching 40 to 60 feet in meridian with a width of 10 to 15 feet , American arborvitae has a broad pyramidal form with impenetrable foliage that haze over its trunk from scene .
As a geometrically pleasing fleeceable mass , it can reasonably much go anywhere in the landscape . Specimen or speech pattern , groundwork planting or border – this plant wear many different hats well .
Critics ofT. occidentalissay that it ’s overdrive in landscape gardening , but I personally see it in the same venous blood vessel as peanut butter – as a beloved staple that never ceases to live up to , even when it ’s featured in disproportionately large quantity .
Unless you ’re hypersensitive , that is . Only a small fraction of the population has a cypress allergy , but it never hurts to consult an allergist before planting if this may be a concern .
With over 100T. occidentaliscultivars today , you have plenty of options .
My personal favorite is the Emerald Green arborvitae , aka ‘ Smaragd ’ – it ’s 10 to 15 marvellous and three to four feet wide at maturity , with a narrow pyramidic form and undimmed green , burnished foliage that tends to defend its color quite well in wintertime .
Emerald Green Arborvitae
riotous Growing Treesoffers Emerald Green arborvitaes in a mixed bag of sizes .
To buy the standard American species , visit firm Growing Trees .
Western Red Cedar
Reaching 50- to 70 - foot heights with a 15- to 25 - foot width in cultivation , T. plicatais unfearing in USDA zone 4 to 9 , and it is absolutely sensational .
The leaves are a darker , more lustrous green than those ofT. occidentalis , with white - stripy undersides .
Additionally , the leaves spread more narrowly than those of American arborvitae , which makes westerly red cedar leaf look less densely - packed .
To me , this seems to give the tree diagram more of a natural - reckon timber vibration .
An talkative , buttress solution organization and multiple leader further differentiate this plant fromT. occidentalis . All in all , it ’s a fine selection that many gardeners and landscaper privilege .
Green Giant
Hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 8 , ‘ Green Giant ’ stands tall and gallant , just like the packaged veg mascot … but this tree diagram does n’t come bearing frozenbrussels sprouts .
A hybrid of western red cedar and Nipponese arborvitae ( T. standishii ) , ‘ Green Giant ’ is similar in height toT. occidentalisbut with a greater width , which fix its tolerant pyramidical kind even more marked .
‘ Green Giant ’ grows very quickly : up to four foot per year ! This fluff your ordinary arborvitae ’s one to two feet of yearly ontogeny clear out of the water .
For a stout and vigorous addition to the garden , ‘ Green Giant ’ is utterly perfect .
‘ Green Giant ’
To purchase ‘ Green Giant ’ in # 1 or # 3 containers , visit Nature Hills Nursery .
Perfect plant Nursery carriesthis cultivar in a salmagundi of size of it .
Managing Pests and Disease
mostly , arborvitaes do n’t suffer from serious infestations and infection .
But blighter and pathogens can still leave an arborvitae looking worse for vesture , so here are a few to be cognizant of that may have issues :
Herbivores
Some of our furred friends incur arborvitae foliage rather tasty . As cunning as they are , we must stay secure in our mastery efforts .
occur fall and winter , food becomes scarce … and for a hungry cervid , an arborvitae is the sodding insensate - weather snack .
The American arborvitae is , at least . westerly red cedar tree and ‘ Green Giant ’ are both moderately deer - resistant .
Your first line of defense is going to be a deer fence that ’s at least eight feet tall . Applications of deer repellent work well as a secondary measuring stick .
Enviro Pro Deer Repellent
OurDIY deer fence guideis indisputable to number in handy , as well as these six - pound tubs of granular cervid repellent sold by Enviro Proon Amazon .
Buster Baxter , Bugs Bunny , Peter Cottontail … disregarding of their high - ranking protagonist status in works of fabrication , any real rabbit will plough into an arborvitae - munching demon when it ’s hungry enough .
These guy wire ca n’t reach as high-pitched up as deer , but they can altogether strip down off what ’s within reach .
If a perimeter fence does n’t keep them out , you may have to erect a small roadblock of ironware cloth around each single works .
A pinnacle of 18 to 24 inches – with several in forget belowground – should do the trick .
Hardware Cloth
Find flexible and rust - resistant ironware clothon Amazon .
Insects
As if they were n’t annoying enough already , insects can vector pathogens when they course . All the more reason to wangle them by rights , I say .
Whenapplying chemicals for control , always do so safelyand according to product didactics .
Also love asCinara tujafilina , arborvitae aphids are an eighth of an inch long , with a brownish color and a waxy white-hot splotch on their spine .
They appear in the fall , feed on the shoot , produce young that overwinter belowground , reach peak universe size in spring , and go underground to bung on the ancestor by June 21 .
These pests can turn foliage brown and wipe out off intact branches . They also excrete honeydew melon , which can attract other worm , lead tosooty mould , and just drip all over the position .
spray of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil throughout the growing season will control the aphids .
Emerging from their egg in early June , babyThyridopteryx ephemeraeformiscaterpillars bear and construct their trademark bag as they feed , which depend like brown cocoons assemble from mixed plant bits .
As they proceed to feed and cause defoliation , the bagworms grow and mature .
In other fall , the mature bagworms advert up their bags and transform into adult moths . Fertilized by the wing male , the wingless female can lay over a thousand eggs in her bag , which overwinter until the stick with June .
Removing bagworms by hand and drown them in oleaginous water can figure out with small-scale populations , but larger infestation involve insecticide lotion immediately after hatching .
Drench the soil withBacillus thuringiensisvar.kurstakiand/or spray the foliage with malathion .
The small , fleeceable larvae ofArgyresthia thuiellaeat their style through and overwinter in arborvitae leaflets , which brown the injured foliage .
Light gray adult moths come forth in late spring to rest egg , which then hatch and ingeminate the cycle .
Spraying the leaf with acephate in mid - May should hold on the larva from excavation , while an imidacloprid soil drench in former springtime will provide systemic control throughout the raise time of year .
Disease
Using pathogen - free soil , blank industrial plant stock , and sanitise tools will go a longsighted way in preventing disease .
The dense canopies of arborvitae sure are beautiful … to both peopleandthe pathogens that cause blight .
Tip blights have byPestalotiopsisfungi be given to happen upon when the tree diagram is n’t cared for by rights .
Yellowing manifest at the leaf steer and works its way downward , finally progress to a dark brown - black gangrene .
Twigs can also twist dark-brown and show small black dots of fungous fruiting structures .
Leaf blights are make byPhyllostictafungi , and these infections are restricted to the foliage . septic farewell march pallid green to yellowed color , and often appear dried-out .
Symptomatic needles tear , ejecting spore in wet weather with modest temperature , which leads to further spread .
Prune leaf infected with blight as shortly as you note them , but not during periods of cockeyed weather .
To prevent pathogen spread , avoid overhead watering and space your plants decently . Fungicides can also be used as a preventative measure , applied in springtime and/or fall .
triggered by species ofSeiridiumfungi that winter in septic bark , Seiridium cankers make embrown in single branch , also advert to as flagging .
tarry , oozing cankers are often observed on the trunk near the origin of septic branches .
Over time , the disease can spread to additional branches , peculiarly in humid conditions with mild temps .
Seiridium cankers can kill a plant in several years , or in under a year with younger , littler Tree or exposure to a stronger strain ofSeiridium .
There are no known chemical substance controls for this disease .
Prune and delivery infected branch , maintaining industrial plant health as well you’re able to . hard infected trees should be take away from the landscape painting to forestall further spread .
Physiological in nature rather than morbific , wintertime damage is make by rough sun and wind photo during the dormant months .
The leaves desiccate more quickly than the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree is able-bodied to take up urine , which can go out leaf with a winterburned , reddish - brownish hue .
tearing properly and mulching thoroughly in advance of quiescency will give your plant a campaign chance .
Additionally , putting up a gunny screen will help block out negative winding . And be mindful of your deicing efforts through the wintertime – saltiness accumulation around these trees can lead to table salt burn and further desiccation .
Learn damage in evergreen shrubs in our pathfinder .
Best Uses for Arborvitae Trees
An arborvitae is a various landscaping basic that can play so many unlike roles in the garden .
It can go front and concentrate as a specimen , or give ear in the background as an accent .
Put a bulwark of them on the edge of your yard to immobilize out peeping neighbor , or institute one mightily up next to your home to highlight its structure .
you could pair them with colorful , bloom plant for a one - two punch of contrasting artistic awesomeness .
supergrass , ground covers , and trees with attractive bark make for solid complementary plantings .
I ’m just inscribe the surface with the above suggestion , aboveboard .
specially when you deal all the available cultivars available to choose from , which can give you novel colors , form , and size to work with .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Wouldja Plant a Thuja?
Hopefully , the solvent is yes . If not , go back and study this pathfinder again . Repeat until your mind is changed .
In my opinion , every garden with a suited climate can benefit from the summation of an arborvitae or two … or ten . They ’re just that attractive .
And disregarding of whether or not you suppose they ’re overused , there ’s no denying their popularity .
Interested in other evergreen plant conifers ? Peruse these usher at your leisure time :
© expect the Experts , LLC . ALL rightfulness RESERVED.See our TOSfor more detail . Product pic via Arbico Organics , Enviro Pro , FastGrowingTrees.com , Gardener ’s Supply , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
About
Joe Butler
