Thuja or tree of life are available in numerous varieties in the garden trade. Not every type is suitable for every application. There are varieties that are just as suitable for an opaque hedge as for maintenance in a bucket or as a topiary. A small overview of known Thuja species.

Thuja Brabant is one of the most popular varieties

How many Thuja species are there?

How many Thuja species there actually are is hardly manageable. New breeds keep adding new varieties.

A number of arborvitae varieties are planted very frequently, such as Brabant and Smaragd.

When choosing, the gardener should take into account that not every species is suitable for every purpose. While some varieties are very fast-growing and soon form an opaque hedge, other species are more suitable for maintenance as a single tree or topiary.

A small overview of known Thuja species

variety name color growth/year suitable for particularities
Thuja occidentalis Brabant green 30-40cm hedge robust and fast growing
Thuja occidentalis Emerald emerald green 20 cm single shrub greater planting distance
Thuja plicata Martin dull green up to 40 cm hedge very fast growing
Thuja occidenalis Columna dark green up to 20 cm hedge becomes very tight
Thuja occidenalis Teddy dark green up to 20 cm bucket, topiary soft needles
Thuja plica Aurescens yellow-green up to 40 cm single shrub becomes very high
Thuja occidenalis Danika blue green stays short ball tree bronze in winter
Thuja occidenalis Rheingold gold colored up to 10 cm container plant colors vary
Thuja occidentalis Tiny Tim light green stays short ball tree doesn't need a cut

Particularly fast-growing species

The particularly fast-growing varieties include Thuja Brabant, Thuja plica Martin and Thuja plica Aurescens. They differ in the color of the foliage.

If you are unsure about the right type of thuja, seek advice from a specialist and talk to your garden neighbors.

Tree of life in a tub or as a topiary

Some varieties of the tree of life grow very slowly or have certain soil requirements. If you want to maintain a tree of life in a tub or as a topiary, you should use small, slow-growing species.

Small varieties such as Danika or Tiny Tim naturally grow in a ball shape. They develop almost no protruding shoots and therefore need little or no pruning.

accelerate growth

The growth of the various species can only be accelerated slightly. When planting as a hedge or solitary, you should give the tree of life a favorable location in the sun or in partial shade.

Make sure that the thuja is not watered too much or too little, and do not over-fertilize the tree of life.

tips

Although Thuja Smaragd is often offered and planted as a hedge plant, it is not the ideal choice for a hedge. It has to be planted farther apart and grows comparatively slowly.

Category:

Trees