Thuja bush. Globular thuja: types and varieties in the photo

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Among the variety of varieties of thuja occidentalis, you can see aesthetic, spherical beauties grown in flowerpots. These are dwarf cypress trees, characterized by rapid growth - giant pyramidal or columnar plants.

Thuja occidentalis has many varieties that differ from each other in various characteristics. Let's highlight some of them.

By tallness:

tall, from 5m and above;
medium height, 3–5 m;
short, 1–3 m;
dwarf, less than 1 m.

Based on the shape of the crown, the following types of plants can be distinguished:

pyramidal (cone-shaped);
columnar;
spherical.

There are thujas with the original color design needles: from blue to golden. Formative pruning can be used to give these plants various original shapes. Options for landscaping park areas and nature has provided enough personal plots.

Let's look at the most popular representatives of the thuja occidentalis family.

Brabant

Fast growing conical cultivar. Usually grows up to 4–5 m in height and 1.5–2 m in width, but individual mature trees grow up to 20 m, and the crown diameter is 4–5 m. Each year can add 30 cm vertically and 15 cm vertically horizontal. The color of the needles is bright green, with only a slight brownish tint appearing in winter.

Brabant is a frost-resistant variety, easily withstands winter cold, and is not picky about growing conditions. It takes root more easily on moist, light, rich nutrients soils, but with proper care it can also be grown on dry soils. The plant is light-loving, but it is better to provide it with a balance of sunlight and shade, protected from strong winds place. Excellent for cutting.

From a single tree you can create a real masterpiece decorative garden art: ball, cone, pyramid, etc. A group of plants can form a dense hedge both free-growing and trimmed.

Emerald

Thuja pyramidal shape. The plant resembles Brabant in size and shape, but grows much more slowly, up to 10 cm per year. The needles have a rich dark green color and do not change color throughout the year. Smaragd prefers highly fertile soil and regular watering, but drought has an adverse effect on the plant.

This variety is best placed in the light or in an area with partial shade. Smaragd is a frost-resistant variety of thuja, but it is better to grow it in places protected from the winds. Trimming a thuja is easy and, given its slow growth, lasts a long time.

Although the hedge from Smaragd is not continuous (the tops of the crown do not close together), with a planting interval of 0.5–0.7 m, you can get a beautiful “southern landscape”.

Widely used both as a single growing plant and in group plantings. Compositions with various members of the family and other plants look impressive and original.

Fastigiata

Fast-growing (30 cm per year) columnar Thuja Fastigiata V middle lane Russia grows up to 6 m in height and has a narrow, dense crown. Thuja branches are pressed tightly to the trunk, the needles are soft to the touch, with a strong characteristic odor, dark green in color. The color of the plant practically does not change with the changing seasons.

Fastigiata grows best in sunny locations with loamy, moist and fertile soils. The variety is frost-resistant, the crown should be protected young tree from the sun's rays in late winter - in early spring to avoid burns.

Tolerates shaping haircut well. To make the plant take root easier and faster, it is recommended to mulch the soil around the trunk. This way, moisture will be retained and the soil structure will not become compacted.

Western Thuja Fastigiata is excellent for creating living screens, creating a tall, dense, green wall that is opaque to view while taking up little space. The plant is used in single and group plantings, in panoramic compositions. This thuja variety is a long-livers, with a lifespan of up to 200 years.

Columna

Columnar-shaped tree grows up to 5–6 m in height and 1.2–1.3 m in width. The needles are scaly and dark green saturated color, which remains unchanged all year round. A plant with a dense crown, which is formed by short shoots extending horizontally.

The plant is fast growing, adding up to 20 cm per year. This type of thuja is winter-hardy, undemanding to soil composition, but develops better on medium-fertile soil with moderate moisture content. The attitude towards drought is critical, the ideal location is places with partial shade. If necessary, you can carry out a shaping haircut. Sunburn can damage the needles, so it is better to cover the plant for the period winter - early spring.

Columnar thuja Columna is used to create a free-growing hedge with an interval of 0.6–07 m between plants. To give Columna the desired shape A topiary haircut is suitable. Used for arranging alleys and in compositions with other plants.

Sunkist

Thuja occidentalis Sunkist- very interesting and beautiful variety cypress The shrub has a pyramidal shape and grows up to 4–5 m in height with a crown diameter of 1.5–2 m, and has a somewhat tousled appearance. Growth is slow - about 10 cm per year. The golden color gives the plant a special charm. The needles of thuja Sunkist are large, golden-yellow in color, and glisten in the sun.

The most favorable place for growing is sunny or partial shade. In the shade, the color of the needles becomes green, and the crown loses density.

The variety is unpretentious to the conditions, but prefers fertile and moist soil. Thuja Sunkist is not afraid of cold weather and wind. To prevent sunburn from damaging the needles, it is recommended to cover the crown for the winter and leave it in this position until the ground thaws.

This variety is ideal as a hedge with a golden yellow color that looks great against darker plants. Sunkist is great for decorating alleys and as decorative elements in various landscape compositions. A single plant also looks advantageous. Using a topiary haircut, it can be given the appearance of various geometric shapes.

Golden Globe

Thuja occidentalis Golden Globe grows to 1–1.2 m in diameter, adding 10 cm per year. It has a vertical arrangement of flat and dense shoots that form a crown. The plant has an interesting color: the tips of the needles, which receive more sun, are golden in color, and the leaves inside are green. IN winter time the bush takes on a copper shade, and in the spring returns to its original, golden color. The root system of the plant is located close to the surface of the earth, and is intolerant of dense and overly wet soil.

Golden Globe prefers bright sunny areas, but does not shy away from shade, taking on a rich green color. The plant is frost-resistant, but it must be protected from bright sunlight with the arrival of spring. There is no need to trim the thuja, but in the spring it will be useful to do sanitary pruning.

Using Thuja Golden Globe, low hedges or borders look beautiful. Globular plants perfectly complement various decorative compositions.

Globoza

Another spherical bush, only much larger in size - up to 1.5 m in width and the same in height. It grows very slowly - 5 cm per year, but its life expectancy reaches 200 years. It has soft, large, scaly needles, the color of which varies from light green (spring), to dark green (summer) and brownish (winter).

It grows better on moist, but without stagnant water, fertile loams.

A plant with a dense crown, which is recommended to be pruned every two years for rejuvenation. Globoza is a frost-resistant and shade-tolerant variety of thuja. In winter, it is recommended to protect young plants from the destructive effects of heavy snow cover, for which the crown is tied up or a frame is built over it.

Plants are used both singly growing and in groups. They are used to equip hedges and borders, look expressive in rock gardens, and container growing is gaining popularity for decorating balconies and terraces.

Holmstrup

Thuja Holmstrup is a columnar variety.. A mature tree can measure 2–3 m in height and 1–1.2 m in width. The plant is slender with a dense columnar shape even without pruning. The crown with a dense scaly shape is dark green in color and does not change at all times of the year.

Thuja is tolerant to various types soil, but the most favorable for it is fertile, moist, loamy soil. It grows better in sunny and semi-shaded areas, tolerates shade, but at the same time becomes less lush and beautiful. Holmstrup is a frost-resistant plant.

It has become widespread as living fences, as part of garden and park ensembles, low alleys and single plantings. Tolerates the urban environment very well.

Teddy

Teddy - dwarf ornamental plant With spherical crown , which consists of thin, densely spaced shoots. At a young age, needle-shaped needles are soft and not prickly, but over time they become tougher. The height of a mature plant is only 40 x 30 cm in height and length, respectively. The needles are dark green (bronze in autumn).

The plant is demanding of fertile soil and does not like drought, this also applies to soil and air humidity. Thuja Teddy is photophilous, prefers sunny places or partial shade, but needs shelter from the sun in early spring, when there is a risk of sunburn. Despite its small size, the plant is frost-resistant.

The scope of application is small areas, rock gardens and alpine slides, grown in flowerpots to decorate balconies.

Conclusion

The western thuja is native to North America.. The family has many varieties, including tall, medium, small and dwarf plants. The shape of the crown can be pyramidal, columnar, or spherical. The color palette of plants is quite diverse; some varieties of western thuja change color with the changing seasons, others remain unchanged.

When choosing a plant, you should take into account not only its size, shape and color, but also other features inherent in each variety, for example:

If we take into account all these factors when choosing, planting and caring for the western thuja, then these beautiful plants will take their rightful place in any park or garden ensemble.

Botanical name: thuja occidentalis

Homeland of the western thuja: North America

Lighting: shade-tolerant

The soil: light loams with optimal moisture content

Maximum height: 20 m

Average life expectancy: up to 1000 years

Reproduction: cuttings

Thuja is one of the most common plants in the modern Russian garden. And the most popular species is the western thuja.

This coniferous plant was brought to Europe from North America back in the first half of the 16th century. Growing wild along the low-lying banks of swamps and rivers, thuja turned out to be unpretentious in cultivation, which is why it gained its popularity.

Thuja occidentalis: characteristics

The maximum height of an evergreen tree is 20 m with a crown diameter of 5 m. The crown of young trees is pyramidal, becoming ovoid with age. The bark on the trunk is smooth, reddish or gray-brown in color. In mature trees, it begins to separate in narrow longitudinal stripes. The needles are scaly, dark green, brown or brown-green in winter, small (up to 0.4 cm). The needles are pressed tightly against the shoot. It falls off every 2-3 years along with a twig (twig fall). On the upper side the shoots are dark green and shiny, on the lower side they are light and matte.

The cones are small (up to 12 mm) and ovoid in shape. They consist of thin scales and have 2 flattened seeds. Thuja occidentalis has seeds with two narrow wings of straw-yellow color.

The annual growth of the tree is up to 30 cm in height and up to 10 cm in width.

The wood is sound, reddish in color, very durable, but relatively soft, without resin ducts, with a pleasant aroma. Does not rot. The root system of the thuja occidentalis is compact.

Western thuja loves sunny places, but, being shade-tolerant, most varieties do not lose their crown shape even in the shade. Undemanding to fertility. Prefers light loam soils; on sandy loams it grows in conditions regular feeding. It tolerates nearby groundwater quite well, so it can grow in areas with excessive waterlogging. And trees that have already formed a root system are resistant to dry periods. Frost-resistant. Another advantage of the western thuja is its resistance to urban conditions.

The beautiful shape of the crown of the western thuja became the reason for the use of the tree in landscape design, where it is recommended for group and solitary plantings.

Thuja occidentalis: planting and care

To plant thuja, it is better to choose a place protected from the wind. It is recommended to prepare the soil mixture for the planting hole from 2 parts of leaf (turf) soil, 1 part of peat and 1 part of sand. You can add nitroammophoska (no more than 500 g per mature tree). Root collar does not go deep. It must be left at ground level.

The planting sheds well. In the future, during the first months it is necessary to water the plant at the rate of 10 liters per 1 tree. Watering is carried out simultaneously with sprinkling. In dry and hot summers, watering is increased to 2 times a week up to 20 liters per tree. It is better to water in the morning or evening so that the needles have time to dry and the roots have time to nourish. Important: in dry summers and lack of watering, thuja can bear fruit, which will make its crown loose and not so decorative.

As for feeding, thuja is fed with complex fertilizers in early spring, after the snow has melted. If fertilizers were applied during planting, then the next time they are fed is in the second year.

By winter, multi-stemmed varieties are tied together with twine, which prevents the crown from breaking under the weight of wet snow. It is advisable to wrap young seedlings with covering material or kraft paper, this will prevent sunburn.

Types of thuja occidentalis

There are many varieties of western thuja in cultivation, including decorative ones. Therefore, finding a suitable specimen for your garden is quite easy. The most popular are spherical varieties, varieties with an interesting crown shape and other types that are highly decorative.

Thuja occidentalis columnar is an excellent vertical plant. From such varieties, backdrops are created, which are a good background for other plants. If the idea is to have a high hedge, then it is recommended to plant trees with a pyramidal crown.

With low-growing varieties, you can create medium-height hedges, and sometimes even borders. The main thing is that such “fences” do not require cutting. Depending on the purpose, seedlings are planted in 1-2 rows. In addition, this coniferous tree can be safely used as a tapeworm, when creating an alley, in rocky gardens and for topiary.

Thuja western columnar and other species in the photo

Columnar thuja occidentalis is represented by many varieties. One of them is Degroot Spire.

Degroot Spire - a unique shape, characterized by a narrow, straight, columnar crown. According to most dendrologists, Degroot Spire is the most narrowly columnar variety. It is very popular in the West, but in Europe it is still underestimated. However, Degroot Spire has great promise in landscape design and landscaping of small areas.

With this variety you can create a very dense hedge up to 5 m high without clearing or trimming. The thickness of such a fence is only 30 cm! This can only be appreciated experienced gardener. Such a fence takes up minimal space, but provides maximum effect thin green wall. The average annual growth of a well-groomed plant is 20-30 cm. The height of a ten-year-old tree is 2.5-3 m.

Another popular variety with a dense cone-shaped crown is Smaragd. It is especially highly valued for the fact that throughout the year the needles remain richly green, while most types of western thuja change color in the winter, becoming less decorative. Thuja grows up to 3-5 m. The average annual growth is up to 10 cm.

Columna – columnar form of thuja. It is the most resistant variety To sunburn and low temperatures. The height of an adult plant is up to 8 m, with a crown diameter of 1.5 m. Annual growth is 10-15 cm. The needles are shiny, dark green. Shade-tolerant. Tolerates both dry soil and excessive moisture. Can be used in hedges, alleys, single and group plantings.

Thuja occidentalis pyramidalis

One of the common varieties is Pyramidalis Compacta. The height of the tree is up to 10 m. It is characterized by a dense pyramidal crown. The tree has similarities with Columna, but in Piramidalis Compacta the shoots are pressed closer to each other. In addition, they are thicker and stronger. It is considered one of the best pyramidal-conical varieties of western thuja.

No less popular Thuja occidentalis Douglasii pyramidalis with a pyramidal crown. A tree up to 15 m high. The protruding branches, reminiscent of fern leaves, look very decorative. The needles are marsh-colored, flat in shape.

"Salland" is rare because it is new variety with a pyramidal crown. It is characterized by lemon-yellow needles and medium height.

Variety "Reingold" - a very interesting and decorative variety. The crown is broadly pyramidal with dimorphic needles: partly scale-like, partly needle-like. The color of the needles is also striking: bright, golden-orange. Young shoots are painted in a soft orange hue. The tree grows slowly: at the age of 10 it reaches 1-1.2 m.

Thuja occidentalis "Yellow Ribbon" has a narrow pyramidal crown shape. It is distinguished by golden-yellow needles, the color of which does not change in winter. By the age of 10, the tree can grow up to 2 m.

Thuja occidentalis

Thuja occidentalis Danica – decorative variety with a spherical crown. It reaches a height of 0.8 m and a diameter of 1 m. The shoots are short and densely spaced. In summer, the color of the needles is bright green; in winter, the upper part turns brown and becomes greenish-brown. This is the most popular globular variety of Western thuja in the world. Its enormous popularity is due to its regular crown and correct row arrangement of needles. At 10 years of age, this dwarf shrub with a spherical crown reaches 0.4 m in diameter. Compared to other spherical varieties, it wins with its dark green shiny needles. The variety is frost-resistant.

Variety "Golden Globe" is also a popular variety of western thuja with a spherical crown. It is distinguished by variegated, golden-yellow needles (hence the name). Belongs to a slow growing variety. At 10 years old, the tree reaches 0.8-1 m in width and height. Prefers sunny, moderately humid places.

Thuja occidentalis Globosa – spherical variety. It is a shrub with dense, vertically growing shoots. The growth rate is slow. It tends to change color from golden green to brownish brown. Mature plant has a height of up to 1.2 and a width of up to 1 m.

Thuja occidentalis dwarf

"Mr. Bowling Ball" – dwarf, almost spherical variety. It is distinguished by its extraordinary density. By the age of 10, the width and height of the plant reaches only 40 cm. The needles in summer are dark green color, in winter - bronze-gray, reminiscent of fringe. Ideal for memorial sites, heather gardens, containers. Prefers sunny places. Winter-hardy variety.

Woodwardii – dwarf form with a characteristic spherical-ovoid crown. Older plants are more broadly rounded. By the age of 10, the tree reaches only 40 cm in width. The shoots are dense with light green needles. Needs fertile, moist soil. Looks very good in rocky gardens and containers. Differs in winter hardiness.

Little Gem- dwarf evergreen variety of thuja occidentalis. This is a dwarf form with a crown diameter of up to 2 m and a significantly lower plant height. In summer the needles are dark green in color, in winter they are brown. It is recommended for use in landscape design and gardening, where it can grow in both group and single plantings. Can be used in a rocky garden or as a hedge. Well tolerated low temperatures, bad – drought.

Stolwijk – dwarf slow-growing variety. In youth, the crown is hemispherical, slightly asymmetrical, very dense and dense. Over the years, the plant expands significantly in width. At 10 years of age, the height of the plant is 1 m. The needles are green, young shoots are yellow-white. For good growth need fertile, moist soil. Recommended for growing in sunny places. High winter hardiness. Looks good in Japanese gardens.

To begin with, we present to your attention a photo and description of the western thuja, whose homeland is the eastern part of North America.

Western thuja in the photo

This is a lush tree up to 20 m in height and 70 cm in diameter with a pyramidal crown. It is cultivated everywhere - from the Black Sea coast to Arkhangelsk, from Siberia to the Far East.

The western species of thuja has opposite scale-like needles, flat flattened shoots and peeling bark. Plants are monoecious, i.e. they have both male and female female flowers. Male ones - sit in the axils of the needles. They have stamens with 4 prominent anthers. Female spikelets are located at the tips of the branches. Each scale has 1-2 ovules, except for the upper pair.

Look at the photo - this variety of thuja has small cones, up to 1 cm in length:

Western thuja cones
Western thuja cones

They have an elongated oval shape. They ripen in the year of flowering, open and fall. In June the cones are green, and in October, when they ripen, they are brown.

The seeds are flat, narrow-winged. When describing the western thuja, it is worth noting that its entire appearance, reminiscent of a cypress, differs from other trees in the dense and dense branching of its pyramidal crown, with shoots branching in the same plane.

An exceptionally frost-resistant plant, but if flooded in summer, the root system can suffer in winter, even to the point of complete death. Prefers moderate humidity, but grows well on dry slopes with sandy loam soil. It loves fertile loams, where it grows extremely luxuriantly. It tolerates drought better than any other tree. Almost does not suffer from pests and diseases.

Thuja occidentalis tolerates cutting and replanting well, which should be done in early spring or in September - October.

It has many decorative forms, differing greatly in growth, crown outlines and foliage shade.

Thuja occidentalis
Thuja occidentalis

Thuja occidentalis- fragrant plant. Its plantings exude an unusually pleasant aroma of freshness, which indicates a rich content of phytoncides and other physiologically active substances. It is no coincidence that during the heyday of homeopathy, thuja was in the lead as a means of combating skin diseases, heart and vascular ailments.

Traditional medicine also does not neglect thuja raw materials. The bark, leaves, and fruits of thuja are healing.

Thuja leaves contain essential oils with a characteristic strong camphor odor - a valuable raw material for the perfume industry. Preparations using thuja stimulate the immune and central nervous system, cardiac activity.

The role of thuja as an air conditioner is undeniable. It not only cleanses it of harmful substances, but also enriches it with useful ones, always remaining, even in the most polluted places, fresh, viable and decorative. This happens because, according to its biological requirements, thuja is very unpretentious plant, however, deserving of attention to her biological needs.

Thuja "Aurea" in the photo

"Aurea"- a collective name under which several forms with a golden yellow color are hidden. The typical form is that grows as a single-stemmed tree up to 2.5 m high, with a pyramidal crown. The needles of this variety of western thuja are bright yellow, turning green in the shade. It is most intensely colored from mid-summer to the onset of cold weather. It cuts and shapes well and is suitable for molded hedges. Effective in single plantings and as part of coniferous groups. Beautiful in combination with conifers, contrasting in crown shape and color. Winter-hardy, resistant to weather adversity.

Thuja "White-tipped" ("Albospicata") in the photo

“Belokonchikovaya” (“Albospicata”)- reaches a height of 2.5 m, the crown is wide-conical, with obliquely ascending shoots. The needles are medium in size, white-variegated at the ends. Particularly intense White color appears in the first half of summer, becoming somewhat discolored by autumn.

In some years high humidity and intense solar activity, the trees look simply magical, as if illuminated from within. This variety of western thuja is completely winter-hardy, beautiful both in a single planting and as part of coniferous groups and compositions. It is well cut and shaped, suitable for creating highly decorative hedges.

"Emerald"- in terms of the combination of qualities, the most popular of the pyramidal forms. The crown is made up of short fan-shaped branches, densely adjacent and together forming a narrow cone up to 3 m high, with a diameter of no more than 0.8 m. Advantages: non-denudity from below, persistent emerald color of scaly needles in all seasons, winter hardiness, constantly neat appearance. It finds universal use in gardens.

As you can see in the photo, this variety of western thuja is beautiful both in a single planting, and as part of coniferous and coniferous-shrub groups, and in alleys:

Planting thuja
Planting thuja

Quite quickly it achieves decorativeness and optimal growth, remaining attractive until old age.

"Globoza"- a spherical shape that is not losing its popularity, 1-1.2 m high, in shading it can stretch slightly higher with a less dense crown. It has a dense, almost perfectly spherical crown that arises spontaneously without formation. The needles are medium in size, green in summer, slightly brownish in winter. A dense ball is formed by the age of 5-7, after which it continues to grow in width and thicken until the age of 18-20. Winter-hardy and stable. When describing this variety of western thuja, it should be noted that it looks good both alone and as part of coniferous groups.

"Globoza Nana"- one of the most decorative spherical thujas, not exceeding half a meter in height. Advantages: unpretentiousness to growing conditions; extraordinary density of the crown combined with the consistently green color of the scaly needles.

Fits perfectly into a wide variety of compositions: traditional mixborders, coniferous-shrub groups, coniferous monogardens. Good for line planting in the form of borders of varying densities up to cropped rectangular profiles. Organic in rock gardens different styles: alpine slide, mountain slope, flat or landscape rock garden, Japanese garden etc. Very desirable in all kinds of ceremonial places.

"Cristata" ("Comb")- in adulthood, it has a wide pyramidal crown up to 3.5 m high. When describing this variety of thuja of this variety, one should especially note its distinctive feature - small scaly dark green-gray needles, collected in dense flat, vertically standing branches, reminiscent of bird feathers.

In youth it grows columnarly, then spreads out somewhat in width. Frost-resistant. Good alone, in groups and alleys, well trimmed, suitable for formed and natural hedges.

"Golden Tip"- has a sparse, wide-pyramidal crown up to 4 m high and up to 2 m wide at the base, formed by ascending straight branches. Young shoots are thick, light brown or yellowish. As the name of this variety of thuja suggests, its large needles have a dense golden color at the ends. Grows very quickly, reaching maximum sizes by 15-20 years. Very stable and winter-hardy.

In different years, the intensity of the color of the ends of the branches varies from light yellowish to bright gold, then the tree can be unusually spectacular. Good for single planting, on the edges of groups of tall conifers and deciduous trees. It makes unusually elegant molded hedges. Suitable for curly haircuts.

"Rheingold"- extremely attractive due to the unusual color of the needles, light golden most of the year, in the fall it acquires a copper-yellow color, and in the spring - a pinkish tint.

The height of the plant is up to 1 m or a little more, the crown is initially spherical, somewhat shapeless with age, consisting of thin, densely woven shoots, but at the same time dense and compact. The needles are of two types: at the ends of the shoots - finely scaly, in the crown - heather-like. Winter-hardy and stable in cultivation.

The "Rheingold" variety, a western variety of thuja, is indispensable for creating coniferous groups and gardens, where it goes well with other conifers, both with vertical and spread-out crowns. Good next to stones, on slopes, in a Japanese garden.

"Danika"- one of the most popular forms of thuja. Valued for its dense, spherical, slightly flattened crown, formed by many ascending flat branches crowding each other. Height 0.6 m, width up to 0.8 m. Winter-hardy and unpretentious to soils.

Pay attention to the photo - this western-looking thuja fits well into a wide variety of compositions involving decorative deciduous shrubs, conifers and perennials:

Decorative foliage shrub thuja

"Teddy"- when positioned open, it has an almost spherical crown about 30 cm high. This is the smallest form of thuja with many advantages. The needles are needle-shaped, short, non-thorny, dark green, completely untypical for thuja, and brownish from autumn to spring. At the same time, it never “burns” and does not lose its decorative effect.

The crown is dense, formed from an early age. Plants reach mature sizes very quickly (by 5-6 years) and remain elegant until old age.

Dwarf growth and unusual appearance open the way for the plant to a variety of gardens and compositions, from a small rock garden and mixborder to coniferous gardens and groups with shrubs and trees. This Western arborvitae variety grows well in containers.

By densely planting many plants, you can create something like an evergreen coniferous lawn for turfing foregrounds, slopes, etc. It loves fertile loams, but does not grow well on dry sandy loam soils.

"Filiformis"(thread-like form) - an original, completely unusual appearance for a thuja. The shoots of this thuja are long, cord-like, practically unbranched, hanging arcuately towards the periphery of the crown. The needles are scaly, tightly adjacent to the branches, and brown in winter. The crown in youth is sparse, with age it is very dense, with a rounded profile. This form of thuja exhibits winter hardiness, unpretentiousness, and an extraordinary appearance. Very interesting alone on the lawn and as a tapeworm in small gardens, goes well with vertically growing conifers.

"Elegantissima"(the most graceful) - has a dense, wide-conical crown about 4 m high, which it reaches only by the age of 30-40.

The needles are fresh green, scaly, the ends of the shoots have a whitish tint, which, combined with a beautiful silhouette, gives the tree an extraordinary showiness. By autumn the white color fades to yellowish, but the plant remains attractive. During the winter, the needles become somewhat discolored, but in the spring they acquire a bright color again.
Requires an open location. Good alone, in groups, alleys. Desirable in all kinds of ceremonial places.

"Elvanger Aurea"- has a slightly flattened spherical crown with individual protruding shoots, up to 70-90 cm high. The branches are thin, the crown is dense. The needles are golden-colored, heather-like inside the crown, scaly and small at the ends of the shoots. In certain periods of the year it is very similar to the “Rheingold” form, but the color of the needles is more stable. During the summer it is bright golden, turning slightly bronze by autumn. Good in a wide variety of gardens and compositions. Very interesting as part of coniferous groups.

"Ericoides"(heather-shaped) - a small tree about 1 m high, with an irregularly spherical multi-vertex crown formed by numerous thin, slightly branched shoots. The needles are needle-shaped, 6-8 mm long, soft. In summer it is two-colored: yellowish-green above, dark green below with a gray coating; In winter it takes on a brownish-violet hue. It does not form seeds, but propagates well by cuttings.

In unfavorable winters and springs it can burn. It is very interesting as part of group compositions in the undergrowth of taller shrubs and trees, especially conifers, which contrast with it in appearance: prickly and Canadian spruce, pyramidal junipers and thujas, etc. Good for large masses on slopes.

"Europe Gold"- a slow-growing shade-tolerant shrub, reaching a height of 4 m. The crown is dense, initially narrow-pyramidal, and with age it acquires a conical shape. As follows from the photo and description of this variety of western thuja, its needles are orange when blooming, and golden-yellow in winter. Tolerates haircuts well. Used in single and group plantings, hedges, suitable for creating alleys.

"Sunkist"- a tree 3-5 m high, the diameter of the conical crown is 1.5-2 m. The needles are golden-yellow. It grows very slowly, tolerates pruning, and is light-loving. Possibility of boarding in groups or alone.

"Dumosa"- shrub form, its height and diameter are within 1 m. The crown is flattened or slightly rounded. Used in heather gardens and rock gardens.

"Douglas Pyramidalis"- similar in appearance to cypress. Height up to 15 m. The needles are swamp green. It is very shade-tolerant, but on the lower branches the needles dry out early and partially fall off. This form of western thuja is suitable for hedges, in single and group plantings.

"Holmstrup"- a shrub up to 4 m high, the diameter of the conical crown is up to 1 m. The needles are scaly, thick, green. In some plants, the needles turn brown in autumn and winter, with a rusty tint. Used in single and group plantings.

Here you can see photos of Western thuja varieties, described above:

Western thuja varieties
Western thuja varieties

Now we present to your attention photos, names and descriptions of varieties of the eastern variety of thuja.

Thuja orientalis in the photo

Thuja orientalis (or oriental biota)- another type of thuja, common in landscaping along with the western one.

This tree grows up to 8 m in height in nature and comes from China. It could also be a bush.

As you can see in the photo, the eastern thuja has an ovoid crown, consisting of many flat plates rising from the base of the trunk to the top:

The crown of the eastern thuja is ovoid

On the back of the flat, scale-like needles there are resin glands, which distinguishes the eastern thuja from the western. The abundance of aromatic resin allowed ancient people to call thuja the “tree of life,” which in itself speaks of its extreme usefulness. When describing the properties of the eastern thuja, it is enough to say that essential oil, contained in thuja, is used in homeopathy as a powerful cardiac remedy.
Thuja blooms in May, the plant is monoecious. The cones in their immature state are fleshy and bluish-green. They ripen only in the 2nd year and then become dry, red-brown. The seeds are viable only in the lower and middle parts of the cone. They are wingless and quite heavy.
There are many forms and varieties of eastern thuja, among which columnar, spherical, and golden are common. Along with street landscaping, this plant is used both as a greenhouse and indoor plant.

Thuja "Aurea variegata" in the photo

"Aurea variegata"- variegated form with a spherical crown and golden needles.

"Kompakta-ungeri"- also spherical in shape, but with white ends of the shoots.

"Elegantus"- with a dense pyramidal crown, golden-yellow needles in spring and greenish-yellow in summer.

"Siboyady"- low-growing spherical shape with bright green needles.

"Nana"- a densely branched dwarf shrub with spaced leaves.

"Rosentalis compacta"- a dense shrub with an ovoid crown and golden-yellow needles.

Biota reproduces by seeds, stem cuttings and vaccination.

Look at the photos of the oriental thuja varieties described above:

Thuja "Siboyadi"
Thuja "Nana"

Growing conditions and care for western and eastern thuja in the country (with photos and videos)

Having familiarized yourself with the photo and description of the eastern and western thuja, it’s time to learn about the cultivation of these plants and their propagation.

Caring for Western and eastern thuja the same, and so are the methods of their reproduction. Growing thuja is not difficult; you only need to take into account some features of agricultural technology.

One of the conditions for successfully growing thujas is the use the right soil. Trees grow best on thick, fertile structural loams. Sandy soils are less suitable, but can be improved by adding clay and large doses of organic matter.

Despite the relative shade tolerance, completely open locations protected from cold winds are preferred for thuja in the middle zone and in more northern regions. When growing western and eastern thujas, uniform illumination on all sides contributes to the formation of the most decorative crown.

Thuja, unlike most coniferous crops, tolerates transplantation well. In the first years it grows slowly, then a period of more intense growth follows, and again a slowdown in growth.

As shown in the photo, when caring for thujas, like all conifers, the main thing is watering:

Thuja care
Thuja care

The first spring watering is carried out when the soil warms up and dries out. It should be combined with spraying the crown with water. During spring and summer they give abundant watering, but not more than 2 times a month.

When growing and caring for thuja, it does not like an abundance of fertilizers, which can even destroy it. In the first two years after planting, fertilizers that were given in landing hole. However, if the soil is poor and no fertilizers were applied during planting, fertilizing is needed, but large doses of fertilizers are undesirable; it is better to apply them in fractions.

In the first year after planting in hot climates, young plants must be shaded by using gauze, agrill or burlap. In this case, the material should not touch the branches. The most convenient thing is to have a lightweight folding frame covered with fabric. The use of such a protective frame allows you to reduce the number of water sprays.

Mulching is also a necessary technique for caring for thuja in the country. Mulch ( pine sawdust, peat, peat compost, humus) in a layer of 5-8 cm is poured into trunk circle. When sprinkled, mulch absorbs moisture, creating a microclimate with high humidity. The mulch is loosened periodically.

The fashion for thuja is growing every year. They go well with many other conifers (junipers, spruces), with ornamental shrubs and perennials. Good in complex tree and shrub compositions, beautifully lining the edges of groups of tall trees.

The video “Growing Thuja” shows all the basic agricultural techniques:

Thuja is propagated by seeds and cuttings. The seeds are collected in September-October, when the scales of the cones turn brown and begin to open slightly. But we must prevent them from spilling out. The collected seeds are dried in a ventilated area. Sowing is done immediately after harvesting without preparation. For spring sowing, the seeds are mixed with wet sand and sown when they hatch. When propagating thuja, seeds should be sown in light or medium loamy soil.

The emerging seedlings in the 2nd year dive onto the ridges in which they remain for 2-3 years. For the winter, the soil in the beds is covered with spruce branches, leaves or lightly sprinkled with humus. In spring, the cover is removed gradually and the plants are immediately shaded.

After 2-3 years, the seedlings are planted on permanent place or growing at a distance of 25x70 cm. Growing lasts 4-5 years, after which the plants are ready for sale or transplantation to another location. When replanting, a lump of earth must be preserved. The crown of the thuja, especially the western one, forms itself, but once in the spring the branches extending beyond the habitus are slightly shortened.

Growing thuja

Garden forms of thuja are propagated vegetatively in order to completely reproduce their inherent characteristics. decorative properties. The main method of propagating thuja is through green cuttings. They are cut or plucked with a “heel” measuring 5-8 cm. The timing of cuttings varies, from April to July.

The best survival rate is for spring cuttings planted in a warm ridge or greenhouse (a layer of manure, a layer of turf soil 10-15 cm and a layer of coarse river sand 1-1.5 cm). Cuttings are taken from young, well-developed plants. They are left in the beds for the winter, and in the spring, with well-branched roots, they are planted in a schoolyard, where they grow for 4-5 years. For growing large-sized thujas, another transplant for growing is useful. After this, a standard material for implementation is obtained.

Watch the video “Propagation of Thuja”, which shows how to grow this tree from cuttings:

Thuja globulus is a frequent guest of gardens. The size of this plant can vary from several tens of centimeters to one and a half meters. The color of the crown also differs among different varieties.

Grow it decorative tree not easy. Only proper planting and care of the spherical thuja will provide it with a healthy thick crown and a spectacular rounded shape.

Species affiliation

Before moving on to care recommendations, you should understand the origin of thujas with a rounded crown shape. They are not a separate species, but represent a collection of specially bred varieties. In our climatic conditions varieties have become widespread. There are several explanations for this:

Thuja occidentalis is unpretentious and suitable for growing in our country.
The varietal diversity of this species is so great that you can choose the appropriate option from the available varieties. In addition, the selection of new varieties continues to this day.

Globular forms are also found among other types of thuja (Japanese, Korean and others), but these varieties are difficult to grow in our climatic conditions outdoors. Further care recommendations apply specifically to spherical varieties of Western thuja.

Planting and care

Correct fit and caring for the thuja globulus in the garden - prerequisites For good development tree.

When and where to plant?

When choosing a planting site, give preference to partial shade. In the shade, the plant will lose its decorative qualities, the crown will become sparse, and the branches will stretch out. In areas with short daylight hours, spherical thuja can be planted in a well-lit place, but in the steppe zone there are direct sunlight and low humidity will lead to sunburn and shedding of needles. The plant also has a negative attitude towards drafts, so the planting site should be protected from the wind.

Thuja is unpretentious to the soil, but better results can be achieved on fertile, moderately moist soils. In places with high groundwater levels. In the lowlands of beams and on loams, a drainage layer up to 20 cm thick is laid at the bottom of the planting pit.

The plant enters the active growing season in May, so it can be replanted in early spring or autumn. The pit is prepared 2 weeks before planting, moistened and filled with a soil mixture: turf soil + peat + sand (2:1:1). The composition for transplantation can be further enriched with nitroammophos.

Plants that have reached the age of 5-7 years are replanted along with the root ball. Below in the photo is a spherical thuja prepared for transplantation.

The root collar is not buried; it should be at the level of the soil surface. After planting, the seedlings are watered daily for a month (1 bucket of water for each tree). The first year after planting, the plant is sensitive to direct sunlight, so it is shaded with kraft paper, fabric or sunscreen.

Watering and loosening

Thuja with a spherical crown is resistant to short-term drought, but if the plant grows for a long time in conditions of water deficiency, its crown thins out. After a month after planting, young seedlings are watered once a week (10 liters for each plant). During the dry period, the number of waterings should be increased to 2 times a week.

To ensure that the roots of the plant “breathe”, after each watering the soil is loosened to a depth of 10 cm and with peat, shavings or compost. The thickness of the mulch layer should be at least 7 cm.

Preparing for winter

Adult plants tolerate even frosty winters well, but young plants need to be covered with spruce branches, fallen leaves or special agricultural materials in late autumn. When the air temperature drops to -5 o C, the plant is additionally wrapped in film.

Trimming

The breeders took care to preserve the spherical shape of the crown, so there is no need to further shape the plant. Every spring, sanitary pruning is carried out, removing dead and diseased branches. In spring and late summer, thujas are trimmed and used as a hedge.

Thanks to its dense crown, the tree lends itself well to decorative molding. An experienced gardener can give it various shapes.

Top dressing

Thujas are classified as slow-growing trees, so they need to be applied carefully. The first 3 years of life after transplantation, feeding is not recommended. In subsequent years of life, the amount of fertilizer applied depends on the growth rate of the tree: less for dwarf varieties, more for tall varieties.

Experts are skeptical about introducing organic fertilizers under coniferous trees. It is better to use those on sale complex fertilizers for thuja.

Reproduction

At home, thujas are propagated by cuttings. It is carried out in the fall after the end of the growing season or in the spring before the buds open. For planting, cuttings from 50 cm long with a well-formed “heel” are used. At the bottom of the cutting, the needles are cut off and treated with one of the root-forming compounds.

For planting, prepare a special soil mixture: turf soil (1 part) + sand (1 part) + (1 part). The cuttings are buried 3 cm into the moistened mixture and covered with film to maintain the humidity level. If cuttings are carried out in the fall, care must be taken to ensure good lighting of the seedlings. Spring plantings, on the contrary, shade.

Varieties

The varietal diversity of thujas with a spherical crown shape is great. The trees differ in both size and color. Below are photos of the varieties and types of spherical thuja that are most widespread, as well as their description.

Globoza is a tall variety, the height of adult plants reaches 1.2-1.5 meters. The color of the needles changes depending on the season: in summer it is green, in winter it is brown. Plants of this variety do not require shaping - by the 5-7th year of life, the trees become spherical, further growth is 5 cm in height and width annually, and the crown becomes thicker with age.

Thuja globulus Danica - low-growing variety(height of mature trees up to 80 cm). It gained popularity due to its unpretentiousness, winter hardiness and ability to maintain shape without pruning.

The Reingold variety is highly decorative. The main feature of this tall plant (up to 1.5 m) is the unusual color of the needles: pinkish in spring, light golden in summer, and copper-yellow, almost brown in autumn.

One of the new selections is the dwarf spherical thuja variety Teddy. The height of this unusually dense shrub reaches 30 cm, and the needles are atypical for thujas: smooth, rich green and not prickly. The plant is resistant to sunburn and does not lose its decorative effect for a long time.

Application in landscape design

Thuja globulus has found wide application in landscape design. These versatile trees pair well with other plants and a variety of decorative items. Due to their slow growth, compositions with thujas retain their original appearance for a long time, which is why they are often used in mixborders, rock gardens, etc.

Dwarf varieties They grow well in containers and pots; with their help you can create a kind of coniferous lawn. Can be used as borders or hedges medium-growing variety spherical thuja.

Video of dwarf globular thujas

Thuja is evergreen, capable of growing for fifty or even a hundred years. Most species are frost-resistant. Some plants look like shrubs, while others can grow over two meters in height.

Most often, thuja is used as an addition to the design of a garden or flower bed. Sometimes such a plant can be a separate element in the landscape.

The most common varieties in Russia

Western thuja is most suitable for the Russian climate. This plant is also suitable for urban conditions.

There are five types of thuja: Korean, Western, Giant, Japanese, Szechuan. However, only the western one grows in the Russian climate, and we will consider it; do not confuse the species and the variety! The article deals specifically with varieties of one type of thuja - western thuja.

There are six most common varieties of western thuja:

Brabant. This variety is used for hedges. After all, the height of this thuja reaches 5 meters, and the diameter is 1.5 meters. In one year, Brabant grows 30 centimeters in height and 15 in width. You can buy it at the nursery at any time of the year and in any size.
Columna. The silhouette is similar to Crimean cypresses. It grows up to 7 meters in height and up to 1.3 in diameter. Such plants are suitable for recreating the Mediterranean style.
Emerald. It is also resistant to frost and large gusts of wind. It grows up to 5 meters in height. However, this thuja is demanding on growing conditions and its growth rate is slow.
Holmstrup. This is an ideal thuja for lazy gardeners, as it does not require special care. Holmstrup is capable of forming a dense wall. Given the slow growth rate, it can grow 3 meters in height in 10 years.
Fastigiata. In central Russia, the height of this thuja reaches 6 meters. It makes a good hedge to cover unsightly views or to isolate yourself from neighbors.
Wagnery. The maximum height of this tree is 4 meters. It tolerates frost very well, but does not like snowfall. To plant this variety, it is better to choose an open place.

These varieties have different crowns; a little lower we’ll look at the classification based on features such as crown shape.

Classification and forms of thuja

Thuja can be divided into different classes depending on its use in design. You will get three groups:

dwarf thujas are most often used for decoration;
like a hedge - denser and taller plants;
tapeworm species are created for planting one or a group of the same trees.

The differences also concern the shape of the plant crown. They can be:

Pyramidal. Some tree varieties reach 20 meters in height. There are no more than two shrubs. Such thujas can be planted either as independent elements or in a group with others.
Columnar. This species is distinguished by a large number of varieties. They make good hedges up to 5 meters high.
Pin-shaped. Usually low (up to 2 meters) and with dense branches.
Umbrella-shaped. Quite a popular species for small flower beds, since most varieties are dwarf (up to 1 meter in height).
Globular. Thuja of this shape is with dense branches. The spherical thuja grows slowly, gradually changing color.

Important: The main advantage of the spherical type is unpretentiousness in terms of soil and good shade tolerance.

All types of thuja are suitable for landscaping and creating living fences. The variety of shapes and colors makes it possible to create compositions using only thujas. Below are photos varieties with a spherical crown.

Varieties of spherical thujas

There are a huge number of varieties of spherical thujas. Among them there are both those that change color from season to season and evergreens. Let's look at the most interesting ones.

1. Barbant

Strictly speaking, this variety has a crown shape that is not spherical, but broadly columnar. However, due to the popularity of this species, as well as its flexibility to be trimmed, it is worth mentioning.

This is the most common in Russia in Western Europe view. It is also called the Western Tree of Life. This is a multi-stemmed tree. Thanks to the density of the crown, you can create a fence from street noise and city dust. The age of such plants reaches 800 years.

With the onset of winter, Barbant does not change color. It has a cone-shaped crown and a straight trunk. Dense and branched branches are arranged horizontally and in an arc.

Fact: The difference between Barbant and wild plants is a fast growth rate.

The maximum height of plants of this species is 20 meters, and the width is 4. In one year, the thuja adds 30 centimeters in height and 10 in width.

Barbant - very unpretentious variety. It can be planted in the shade or in the sun. It will easily tolerate both very dry and wet soil. Differs from other varieties in ease of cutting.

It is best to purchase the plant from a nursery, so it will already be acclimatized.

Planting does not require special skills - it is similar for all conifers. You should dig in the roots well, mulch once a year and constantly weed. Also in the first year you can water the thuja crown in the evenings. In this case, the water should be 17-30 degrees.

The soil around the plant should not be allowed to become overgrown with weeds or grass. You should monitor the condition of the soil so that it does not dry out or become compacted after watering. The root system of the tree should not be exposed.

Barbant in landscape design

This variety looks best as a hedge. Several trees located in a line create a loose green fence. To do this, the desired shape should be formed in the early stages.

You can make a denser fence from Barbant if you plant the seedlings closer and in several rows.

Brabant can become like that design solution. Thanks to its dense branches, it is easy to cut and give it the desired shape.

2. Danica

This variety of thuja was bred in Denmark in 1948. Danica is a slow-growing shrub. Over the course of a year, it grows 5 centimeters in height and 4 centimeters in width. In 10 years, Danika can grow in height by no more than 50 centimeters, and the diameter will not exceed 1 meter.

Interesting: This variety is one of the smallest representatives of spherical thujas.

This shrub can be placed either in a dark area or in the sun. The only difference is that in the light Danika becomes brighter and denser.

For planting, you should choose fertile soil and pay attention to sufficient moisture.

It is better to plant this plant in spring time. Over the summer, thuja will be able to develop root system and thus prepare for winter. There should be no groundwater at the landing site. If there are any, then the soil should be compacted with crushed stone. It needs to be placed in the planting hole. It is better to make a layer of 20 centimeters.

Every spring you need to remove dry and damaged branches. At the same time, you can form the crown, replant or prune. It is better to cover young bushes with burlap for the winter.

Danika in landscape design

Danica connects perfectly garden design with other spherical plants. It is important to choose contrasting flower bushes. This will make the greenery of the thuja even brighter.

This shrub also looks organic in a group lined up in a row. It can be either an independent element or work in conjunction with others, forming a living fence of bushes.

Such a fence is not a barrier to prying eyes, but creates comfort and completes the entire composition.

3. Teddy

Teddy is a new species of dwarf globular thuja. Over 10 years of growth it can reach 30 centimeters in height and 40 in width. It grows slowly.

This shrub has needle-like, but not thorny, needles. In the autumn season, the color changes from dark green to bronze.

The plant is shade tolerant. A couple of hours in the sun a day will be enough for this variety of thuja. However, the soil should not be dry.

You cannot overfeed Teddy, otherwise the needles will grow quickly and lose their shape.

In dry weather, be sure to water. Dried branches should be constantly pruned.

Interesting: Teddy is the softest and fluffiest variety of thuja. Although it is considered one of the most capricious.

This variety is more suitable for creating gardens with an emphasis on stone. When designing, it is worth taking into account the changes in the color of needles at different times of the year - so that this property does not spoil the whole idea.

Teddy can be combined with other thujas of various shapes, shrubs and flowers. The main condition must be met - different levels arrangement of elements, stone embankment, breaking grass, rare flowers. Large blocks of stones complete the overall picture. It is also possible to use .

It is quite acceptable for this variety of thuja to grow in a container. Due to its small size and small root system, this amount of soil will be sufficient for Teddy. This thuja can be easily placed on a veranda, balcony or in a room. the alpine style can be preserved. Especially if the apartment design is Scandinavian. Green thuja of the Teddy variety will only add color and freshness to the rooms.

4. Globoza

One of the brightest representatives of spherical thujas is the Globosa variety. This spruce is one of the most popular among landscape designers. post-Soviet space. In the first years of life, the crown has the shape of a ball without a main trunk.

Over the course of 10-15 years, the plant will form a leader shoot, so to speak, and only then will the spruce take on the shape of a triangle. Often this variety is shaped into a ball after it grows. The plant lends itself well to pruning. One of the features is its color – blue.

Such a spruce can grow up to two meters in height and three in width. Such a tree can decorate both a small corner of the garden and become the central element of a rocky garden.

5. Golden Globe

Goleden Glob is a worthy representative of its species. Its dimensions reach about a meter after both height and width ten years.
It has a yellow color that will appeal to many gardeners. Over time, the needles will acquire a golden color.
Due to its size, such a spruce will fit perfectly into the landscape of small gardens and will be able to delight its owners. It often becomes a decoration of the facades of houses in various office centers. Another advantage is unpretentiousness and frost resistance.

6. Hosery

Hoseri is a masterpiece produced by Polish breeders. This thuja is perfect for people who liked the texture of the Globosa variety, but because of the size of this spruce they were forced to abandon planting it.
It will fit perfectly into the composition with any miniature plants. Over the years it will take on the shape of a pillow.
This variety loves the sun's rays, so it is better to choose the appropriate location.
Thuja Hoseri are often planted along the facades of houses and shopping centers.

7. Reingold

Rheingold is another representative of dwarf shrubs. 10 years after planting this variety, its height will be about a meter.

In the first years it will have the shape of a ball, then it will stretch out and take on an oval shape. The remarkable thing about this species is its color, which will also change in different seasons of the year. So in winter the thuja will be brown, and by summer it will turn golden.
The best way will look like a hedge or part of a composition on small area. It is very demanding on moist and fertile soil.

8. Woodwardy

Woodwardii is a very popular variety among European gardeners. It has a rich green color, a fairly dense crown shape, and also has a fairly good survival rate and is relatively unpretentious.

The temperature in which thuja can still exist reaches -40°C. Can reach up to half a meter in height. In the first years after planting it will have the shape of a ball, but over time it will stretch out and take on the shape of an oval.
It has excellent ionizing and air purifying properties, which is why many Europeans plant this thuja in their garden plots.

9. Tiny Tim

Thuja Tiny Tim was bred back in the 60s of the last century. Its height can reach a meter and a width of one and a half.
The needles are mostly dark green in color. Distinctive feature is that thuja grows very slowly: at 10 years old it reaches only 30 centimeters. Loves light very much, but is not picky about soil.
It is mainly planted on rocky hills. You can plant it either singly or in a group; in both cases it will look organic.

10. Table

Stolwijk is another representative of dwarf conifers.
At first, when young, the shrub has the shape of a dome, but closer to a decade, when it becomes about one meter high, the shape takes on the shape of an asymmetrical cone.

Despite its unusual nature, very few European landscape designers and gardeners use it in their compositions. The unpredictable shape of the crown is to blame.

11. Bowling Ball

The name Bowling Ball was not given to the thuja by chance, but because of its ideal symmetrical shape.
In the first years after planting, it has a strictly spherical shape, but over the years it stretches out a little. It reaches a height of about 70 centimeters and a width of up to a meter. And still the impression remains that the thuja has the shape of a ball.
This is due to her pomp. Despite the fact that the plant loves sunlight, it can also tolerate partial shade. In landscape design it is mainly used in compositions requiring a spherical element.

12. Holmstrap

Dumosa, or Holmstrup in other words, is one of the unique species of thuja with an ovoid crown that can reach about three meters. Also, one of the advantages is that even without regular pruning, the plant retains the correct column shape. This is definitely a huge plus for gardeners who are busy with less independent plants in their garden. Also, among all representatives of spherical thujas, Dumosa has the densest. Basically, such thujas are intended to form a hedge, but there are also many cases when it is planted in one copy.

13. Khoveya

Thuja Howea is an excellent variety of its species. At 2-3 years old, this thuja will still look like a ball, then it will transform and have an ovoid shape. By the age of 10 he will be able to reach a maximum of one and a half meters. Among the main features of this thuja is its unpretentiousness, frost resistance, and fairly slow growth. Another good indicator is its pliability to shearing and the ability to grow on any type of soil. This type of thuja will be very useful for gardeners who have long wanted to form hedges or improve alpine hills.

14. Little Champion

Thuja Little Champion is a fairly compact representative of spherical thujas, which reaches about one and a half meters in height and a meter in width.

The peculiarity of this plant is that it grows for quite a long time. At the age of 10 years, it will have a diameter of half its maximum. Also very noticeable is the change in color of the tree.
In the summer, the thuja will be green, and closer to winter it will turn brown or bronze. These trees are often planted individually or in groups. You can often see them in pots on terraces or loggias.

15. Little Jam

Thuja Little Gem is a fairly popular variety among gardeners because it has a specific crown shape, and also because the diameter of this plant is an order of magnitude greater than its height.
The light green color that thuja has changes in summer to a shade of bronze in winter. Little Gem loves places where access to sun is not limited. It has a negative attitude towards drought, so it is necessary to water it on time. The tree is perfect for decorating a rocky garden or alpine hill.

16. Little Giant

Little Giant is a dwarf plant with a cushion-shaped crown. The dimensions of this thuja reach only 80 centimeters in height and exactly 2 times less in width. Just like the previous thujas, its needles are bright green in summer and bronze in winter. A special feature is its slow growth.

Because of small sizes, this thuja is very popular and widely used. It can be used both in the garden and on the terrace and loggia. The most popular is in Europe.

17. Pumila

Pumila’ is a variety with an ovoid crown shape. The size of this tree can reach about two meters. Many gardeners often choose this variety over Little Gem because they are very similar, but Pumila' grows much larger. This quality will be very useful when forming a hedge. I also use thuja alone. The branches of this tree are fan-shaped, slightly curved and do not touch each other. Quite frost-resistant and unpretentious.

18. Rekuva Nana

Recurva Nana has a rounded shape several years after planting.

Later the crown forms into a cone. Can reach up to two meters in height. The charm of this variety is added by the branches that protrude along the entire perimeter of the crown. The needles have a green color, but it changes from dark near the trunk to light at the tips. It is frost-resistant. It also loves the sun, but can also grow in the shade. They are used as hedges, they are also planted along alleys at a distance of several meters, and can also become an indispensable element of any composition.

19. Salaspis

The Salaspils variety was bred by breeders from Latvia back in the 40s of the last century.
It has a dense, rounded shape, which creates a lush effect, which is why many gardeners love it. At 30 years of age, the maximum height of this plant is 55 centimeters. This thuja does not change its color throughout the year; it remains bright green.
Due to the fact that the plant is small in size, many people grow it on terraces and loggias. It also harmonizes perfectly with dwarf trees.

20. Trompenburg

Thuja called Trompenburg was developed in the Netherlands.
At first after planting, the crown will have a spherical shape, but then it will begin to stretch out and the ball will be replaced by an oval. This is a dwarf representative of spherical thujas, respectively, its height reaches only 60 centimeters in 10 years.
It has a yellowish-green color, randomly located around the entire perimeter of the thuja. Darkening occurs in winter. Will become an indispensable element of any composition invented landscape designer. It is better to use a group of such thujas when planting.

Twenty varieties of spherical thujas - there is plenty to choose from, regardless of your ideas and capabilities.

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