What is thuja? Thuja is a gymnosperm type plant of the Cypress family. This tree has a number of interesting features. The plant belongs to the evergreen type. Fifty years, or even hundreds of years, can grow. The color palette is simply amazing: the evergreen thuja can be painted in a yellowish tint, and in blue. Many are interested, thuja is a tree or a bush. It depends on herself.
Culture Description
This is a tree with high frost resistance. It is very unpretentious and well tolerates not only frost, but also takes root on any soil. It grows in the form of a bush, although it can reach up to 3 m in height. But it can be different: it grows quite close to the ground, therefore, it looks like a small bush. And although this bush is quite small, but it is very beautiful. Foliage is similar to magnificent balls. In addition, the thuja itself is a wonderful decorative element. Such an exotic plant will decorate any place.
Thuja tree
Likes both dry and wet soil. The plant in this matter is unpretentious. But it should always be protected from the wind, because at the initial stages of development, the young tree has not yet fully matured. At this stage, in addition to shelter from the wind, you need to protect from winter frost. This tree is able to withstand low temperatures, but only after its full development.
Western thuja
Western does not have any cardinal differences from the above classical descriptions. Her crown is divided into three types:
- column;
- pyramidal;
- spherical.
Western thuja usually reaches no more than 15 m. On average, the range jumps from 1.5 to 15 m. The bark of this American plant has a red color, and changes to gray with age. The shoots are quite short. The foliage, as was said, is very lush and beautiful. Glittering needles with a green, yellow or blue tint are pleasing to the eye.
Where does thuja grow
Homeland thuja smaragd North America. There it can reach only 12 m. Therefore, it is called western. It is found not only in the USA, but also in Europe and Russia. Siberia or the Far East are also included.
Note! Thuja is a plant that is found in many forests of the world and not only. It can often be found in various gardens and parks in the form of decoration, especially in Europe. Russia has them in the steppe and forest zones (Moscow region).
Thuja: types and varieties
Any kind of thuja should be grown only in well-lit places, otherwise the foliage will quickly fade without light.
There are such varieties of thuja:
- folded (Thuja Plicata);
- western (Thuja Occidentails);
- Korean (Thuja Koraiensis);
- Japanese (Thuja Standishii);
- eastern (Thuja Orientails) or ploskovetochnik (Platycladus).
Folded (Thuja Plicata)
The birthplace of folded thuja is East Asia. Quite often, this thuja is used in landscape design, because this plant is incredibly charming. In addition, hedges are made from it. Folded thuja stands out for its fruits. They are oval in shape, similar to large bumps. In length can reach 12 cm. Flat and have two wings.
This thuja, like the rest, likes almost any soil, but if the gardener wants to get a fast-growing thuja, it is better to moisten the soil well. Dry will give an opportunity to grow, but noticeably slower. Watering should be done often, but do not overdo it.
What does the folded thuja look like?
Western (Thuja Occidentails)
This thuja has already been described in this article. You can read more about it above.
Western thuja
Korean (Thuja Koraiensis)
It is also a decorative look, but unlike other varieties reaches a small height, the maximum is 9 m. The needles are painted in the usual green hue, but from the bottom it is already silver. Crohn is wide.
Korean thuja has another feature. If other arborvitae are well tolerated by frost, then this arborvitae bush is not able to withstand a difference of 0 ° С. It is worth growing in warm places, but it does not have to be overseas islands. For example, the south of Russia is perfect, since the winters there are gentle, relatively warm. Korean thuja loves high humidity and room temperature.
Japanese (Thuja Standishii)
This tree is also called stenshida. The homeland is, as it is not difficult to guess, Japan, or rather its alpine forests. Hence the name. It can be used not only in decor, from this arborvitae often make special wood, which is suitable for construction.
It can reach a height of 30 m. The crown is similar to a pyramid. The color palette, like the rest, is not only green, but also silver-white. It is adapted to withstand low temperatures, but does not tolerate drought. He loves only ecologically clean places. Any infection can destroy this thuja at the moment.
Note! Sprouting is pretty hard. Here you need the right care. In addition, the plant itself is quite fragile. The needles are soft, so you need to be extremely careful with it.
Japanese thuja
Oriental (Thuja Prientails), or ploskovetochnik (Platycladus)
This tree is whimsical to the conditions of development. It will grow only in favorable climatic conditions. This thuja likes only warm places with the same winters. Caring for her is not easy.
China is the birthplace of this thuja. Usually it grows alone, but feels good in the company in the neighborhood of other plants. And although this plant needs a warm climate, it can grow even in rocky formations. The height of this thuja is 18 m. The bark is colored in brown, needles in green.
East thuja
Fast growing varieties of thuja
Thuja is divided into some varieties that determine its growth. Here is the list:
- Brabant. It grows up to 20 m in height. Annual growth can reach 40 m up and 15 m wide. He loves sunny places and loamy soil. It tolerates frosts well.
- Golden Brabant is a variation of Brabant. The needles turn yellow-green.
- Kolumna. Narrow crown. Usually grows 40 cm up and 5 cm wide annually. Height reaches 10 m. Loves absolutely any soil. Carries frosts.
- Fastigiata. Good growing thuja variety. Narrow crown. The total height is 30 m. Every year it adds 30 cm up and 5 cm wide. It is also frost-resistant, and can grow up to 200 years or more.
- Giant. Reaches 15 m in height. It can add up to 30 cm annually. It is very frost-resistant, but it can hardly stand the heat.
Tui in nature
In nature, there are only five varieties of arborvitae, which were indicated in the species section. In nature, it grows singly or in small clusters of shrubs. develop for a very long time.
Note! Age can reach up to 200 years, and this is not the limit. Unlike grown domestic thuja, these are more adapted to different conditions.
Conifers for the garden
Thuja is not the only tree that can be planted on a plot in the garden. Many people plant other types of trees. Some conifers are worth talking about, as they are popular with gardeners.
Ate
This type of tree is well suited for any garden or park. This is due to the fact that they ate very unpretentious plants. They are shade tolerant, can grow in moist places, but not in swamps. Perhaps the only thing they really don't like is drought. Spruce is recommended to grow, like almost all plants, in moist soil. The cuttings of spruce are very sensitive to this. It is quite frost-resistant, but, like all plants, they like warmth.
Fir-trees are very often used for decorative purposes. Up to 20 different types of this tree can be used to decorate parks. They can differ not only in the shade of the color palette, but also in the crown itself.
Ate
Fir
Fir has become popular among lovers of ornamental plants recently. Previously, people preferred only firs and pines. If we talk about the present, then fir overtakes them in the frequency of sales of seedlings. She is loved for her sophisticated trunk, beautiful needles and a non-standard look. Beautiful fir cones are considered another feature of fir. They always grow only up, which distinguishes the view from other plants. Fir seeds are winged, so they fly apart, forming whole forests. Reproduction itself is very fast.
Note! It is well adapted to climatic conditions, but also loves moist soil in combination with a warm climate. Fir has the shape of a pyramid at the crown. And her height already depends on herself.
Fir
Juniper
Juniper is also popular with gardeners. The height of this bush can reach only a couple of meters, but they love it for its miniature and beauty. Sometimes there are tall specimens similar to a tree. Homemade juniper will be a great addition to the interior. And to multiply it will not be a big effort.
He loves moist soil and a warm place for full growth.
Juniper
Pine
Pine is an ornamental and deciduous plant. An evergreen tree with a beautiful view. Pine is in the form of a bush, and in the form of a creeping bush, which allows it to be used as practical as possible when decorating a garden or park. The height can reach 50 m, and maybe only 2 m. It has a developed root system. The needles have a beautiful green color palette, and the needles themselves are beautifully located on a pine tree. All of them are directed upwards, which makes the pine trunk seem so high.
Although it grows in rocky places, it loves moisture, warm places.
Pine
Yew
Yew also love to use as a decor. It combines several types of conifers. Growing slowly. A distinctive feature is its small spherical fruits of red color, which distinguishes it against the background of other plants. This is not a simple flower. In addition, he is quite famous due to the fact that he can live up to 3000 years.
Important! Before growing yew, it is worth knowing that poison is found in all its parts, so without proper dexterity, experience and knowledge, you should not buy its seedlings.
Yew
Diseases and pests of conifers
Conifers can hit:
- fungal infections;
- pests.
The first affect the conifers from the inside, gradually destroying their entire immune system (shute, rust, various types of cancer, bacteriosis, etc.). The latter appear on the conifers themselves, gradually eating them (aphids, moths, spider mites, etc.).
To avoid all this, it is worth taking some preventive measures:
- The site with the plant must be suitable for all requirements. The place should be warm, well-lit, with moist soil. Timely feeding should be carried out.
- Keep conifers away from each other (if the plant is not one). Otherwise, if an infection appears on one, then it can jump to other plants.
- It is necessary to trim all dry and damaged branches. In some cases, they can cause the disease.
- Treat with various insecticidal agents (e.g. zircon).
Thus, the thuja is not only a beautiful plant, but also a good decor for the garden, park, territory near the house, cottages. And this is not casual. The above description of this confirmation. When growing, you should adhere to the rules and protect the conifer from diseases and pests.
