Tui types and their names. Thuja western: winter-hardy varieties

Thuja dwarf is an evergreen coniferous plant that belongs to the cypress family. These shrubs have long been in great demand among gardeners, as they have a dense crown, which is of great importance in terms of decorative decoration of personal plots, parks or gardens.

This variety of conifers is famous not only for its appearance, but also for its ability to influence human health, because a short calm walk along the alley planted with thujas helps to calm the nerves. Landscape designers include thuja among the basic plants for creating a wide variety of decorative compositions in the garden.

Advantages

Why do many people prefer dwarf varieties:

1. First of all, thuja is a coniferous plant, which means that it is able to delight the eyes of people with its lush green needles throughout the year;
2. By nature, thuja are capable of cleansing the air well. They enrich the environment with oxygen, due to which this plant is planted on the territory of hospitals, along alleys and parks where people are constantly walking;
3. Low-growing varieties are great for creating hedges, which create a good decorative effect, while reducing the permeability of noise from the street;
4. The plant is unpretentious in terms of caring for it;
5. Dwarf conifers easily tolerate temperature changes;
6. By planting thuja on your site, you can create a lot of interesting decorative options.

The most common varieties

This thuja is of a low-growing variety, has an unusual ball shape, with a diameter of no more than one meter. Small fluffy balls, fit very well into the design of the garden plot, especially when combined with other types of plants;

A shrub of low growth with a beautiful branched crown, which looks very good in the composition of an alpine slide. A feature of this variety is its ability to change colors depending on the season. In summer, the crown of thuja Little Champion stands out for its light brown needles, and during the winter cold season, it becomes bronze in color;

Spherical thuja, about 50 centimeters in diameter. It grows very slowly and reaches its maximum size only 10 years after planting. Matches perfectly with stones;

Low thuja, which has a spherical crown with yellow-green needles in the form of small scales. This variety looks very good in rock gardens (miniature garden). Growth rates are very slow (it grows up to 50-60 centimeters in height only 10 years after disembarkation);

Experts who are engaged in the cultivation and cultivation of decorative varieties of thujas advise planting dwarf varieties in areas with poor soil. This must be done so that they do not strive to grow upwards and do not lose their usual shape.

Choosing the right plant

To achieve the best decorative effect possible, you need to be very careful when choosing a dwarf thuja that will grow in the garden. To begin with, experts advise taking into account all the features of the area, and the parameters of the site on which the shrubs will be planted (soil and sunlight).

When choosing a variety of dwarf thuja, you need to consider the following nuances:

• Shade tolerance;
• Strong frost resistance;
• Exactness in terms of care;

Before buying a dwarf thuja, you need to pay attention to its appearance. After all, if you buy a plant with defects, in the future it will often get sick and will not be able to fulfill its main task - the decorative decoration of the site.

What to look for when buying a shrub:

1. Bare root system - the integrity of the earthen coma on the root system, protects the shoots from the negative effects of low or high temperatures, as well as many other external factors. In addition, attention should be paid to the degree of development of the same root system. If the roots are chopped off, then the plant with a high probability will not take root at all;
2. Roots and trunk - visual assessment of the condition of the seedling consists in the assessment of its dryness. If the upper layers of dwarf thuja peel off and flake off, then most likely such a shrub will die;
3. Crohn - a careful examination of the crown and trunk will help to determine in a timely manner the presence of any abnormalities in the seedling (the presence of diseases or pests). It is immediately clear that buying an unhealthy seedling is not the best idea, because there is no guarantee that it will successfully take root;

Planting a low-growing variety

There are no restrictions on the season for planting a dwarf thuja, but according to experts, the best period for planting a thuja is autumn or early spring. If you follow this advice, the shrub will grow stronger and more resistant to environmental influences.

During planting of thuja, the root collar should be at the same level with the soil, it should not be immersed too deeply, but it is also undesirable to raise it above the soil, this may result in a plant disease.

If there are areas with stagnant water in the garden (rainfall or melted snow), then to prevent root rotting, it is necessary to create a kind of drainage (a layer of gravel or broken brick, about 20 centimeters high, is poured out at the bottom of the planting pit). To create a high-quality avenue of thujas, the planting distance of thujas should be 1-2 meters.

In the case of planting dwarf thujas as a hedge in one row, a distance of about 1 meter must be observed (but more accurate measurements must be made taking into account the final size of the shrub).

Growing conditions

• A positive feature of the dwarf thuja is its ability to take root on any soil: it can be sand, and clay, and even sod;
• Low-growing shrubs feel better in soil with a fairly good layer of humus, and a slightly acidic reaction;
• Good growth rates, low shrubs show in a sunny or semi-shady place. It is better not to plant them in the shade, since the needles will thin out and the thuja will lose its magnificent shape and greenery;
• The place of localization of thuja should be chosen in a place where the sun will not shine all day. The shrub is not very fond of drought;
• Thuja has a positive attitude towards wet soil. But do not plant them in areas with abundant accumulation of groundwater. In addition, thuja tolerates drought well enough, and during a long dry period it is enough for it to carry out 2-3 waterings per week in the form of sprinkling, so that the needles do not lose their decorative beauty;
• Thuja of a dwarf variety can be planted both in open ground and in a pot.

Bush care

The main methods of caring for a dwarf thuja are timely and well-organized watering. Within 1 month after planting in the ground, the thuja should be watered at least once a week, adding about 10 liters of water. If the weather is dry outside, the number of irrigations increases to two.

Maintaining a normal level of soil moisture is one of the main conditions that provides a luxurious and lush crown for a thuja. During the first three years after planting, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil near the trunk, but not too deep (no more than 10 centimeters), so as not to damage the root system, which is located almost on the surface.

For mulching dwarf thujas, it is better to use peat or sawdust (a layer of about 6-7 centimeters). To prevent damage to the crown in winter, when heavy snowfalls can occur, it is necessary to tie low shrubs.

When spring warming comes, young thujas are best placed in the shade in order to reduce the influence of sunlight in order to avoid burns on the needles.

For pruning mature shrubs, it is advised to use a sharp pruner. No more than 1/3 of the plant should be pruned.

Diseases and possible pests

Thuja rarely suffers from various diseases, unlike other plant species, but in some cases, unexpected yellowing of the needles may occur. This symptom can have several reasons:

• Violation of planting rules - insufficient or excessive immersion of the root system in the soil;
• Burns from frequent exposure to sunlight;
• The defeat of the needles by a fungal disease.

Such a symptom does not necessarily mean that it is a disease. Some varieties of tui are capable of changing the color of their crown depending on the season. For example, with the onset of the first winter frosts, the needles may acquire a yellow color, but with the arrival of spring it turns green again.

The use of dwarf thujas in rock gardens

Rock garden- this is an artificially created landscape composition that recreates in miniature a decorative area of ​​a mountainous area, that is, the place in which coniferous plants occupy not the last place.

For the full-fledged creation of a miniature rock garden, it is the small varieties of decorative thujas that differ from their relatives in compactness and slow rates of development.

I can't imagine my garden without conifers! Evergreen beauties are distinguished by excellent health and unpretentiousness, retain their decorative effect in winter and summer, create a feeling of stability and peace. The obvious advantages and variety of species and varieties of conifers have become the reason for the creation of a whole collection, the main part of which is western thuja.

My passion for conifers began with thuja, when in the late nineties several fast-growing varieties were planted on a spacious plot (“Brabant”, “Vervaeneana”, “Malonyana”, “Spiralis”, “Smaragd”, “Golden Globe”). Over time, the old-timers thuja turned into stately and powerful trees, which, due to their laconicism, combine well with garden architectural structures and give the site a unique look. Based on long-term observations, I can safely say that western thuja is the most hardy and easy-to-care type of coniferous plants. Currently, this belief, combined with the wide possibilities of using thujas in landscape design, encourages me to buy all new varieties without hesitation. Now the tui collection is my pride, and I will gladly tell you about it.

Cones, ellipses and columns for large areas and more

Western thuja varieties with a vertical crown shape are deservedly popular, since they easily fit into any composition of coniferous and decorative deciduous crops, and also serve as an ideal background for flowering shrubs and perennials. In addition, vertical thujas make an excellent hedge, and some varieties, due to their large size, are able to decorate unsightly corners in the garden or become a screen for a recreation area. Large cone-shaped thuja “Brabant” and “Spiralis” are champions in terms of growth rate, their annual growth is more than forty centimeters, and the height of an adult plant is over fifteen meters.

Next to the green giants, the yellow medium-sized cone-shaped varieties of western thuja look great: “Yellow Ribbon”, “Jantar”, “Sunkist”, which stand out in summer bright yellow growths, as well as “Europe Gold”, which retains its golden-yellow color of needles even in winter.

My favorites are thuja with a narrow-conical and columnar crown shape: “Columna”, “Holmstrup”, “Malonyana”, “Pyramidalis Compacta”, “White Smaragd”. The “Smaragd” variety is a real masterpiece, because its dense slender crown is similar to the southern cypress and retains its bright emerald green color even in winter.
Many tall varieties with a dense crown have a rather narrow base diameter and can be placed in a small area. From the group of vertical varieties, thuja with an egg-shaped and wide-round shape deserve special attention: juicy green “Green Egg”, comb gray-green “Cristata”, fluffy and wide dark green “Woodwardii”.

When talking about large thujas, one cannot do without mentioning the widespread golden-yellow variety “Golden Globe”, growing which I learned one very important lesson. A small seedling purchased fifteen years ago was placed in the foreground of the mixborder. The choice of the location was based on the description of the variety given in the book of the famous author, where it was stated that “Golden Globe” grows up to one meter. However, for several years the thuja showed an unexpected growth rate and literally crushed the junipers planted behind it. Now it is a two-meter ball, and in order to make room for it, I had to move the concrete path and remove the unfortunate plants shaded by thuja. In order to avoid such a mistake, it should be remembered that the descriptions usually give the sizes of a coniferous plant at ten years of age. Based on this, the annual increase can be calculated. In the absence of information about the dimensions of the variety in adulthood, you can observe the plant for a couple of years and, with unplanned agility, adjust the size by annual pruning.

Balls, pyramids, pillows and mini obelisks

For compact varieties of western thuja, you can always find a place in the garden. Low-growing thuja look great in rockeries, they are used as a structural element of an alpine slide, you can dilute a flower bed of flowering perennials with them or create low borders. On my site, globular dwarf varieties are mainly planted in the foreground of mixborders. Low-growing round green coniferous thuja “Hoseri”, “Little Champion”, “Globosa Nana”, “Little Giant”, “Danica” are planted next to yellow and bluish juniper varieties of medium and horizontal. Compact spherical and elliptical varieties with yellow needles (“Aurea Nana”, “Danica Aurea”, “Mirjam” and others) grow in sunny places and are part of the suite of magnificent tree-like peonies. Low-growing wide-conical thuja “Miky”, “Holmball”, “Golden Anne”, as well as “Little Gem”, “Tiny Tim”, “Mr. Bowling Ball ”are located among low varieties of Weymouth and Mountain pines. In such a combination, thuja with a dense crown emphasize the natural beauty of pines, and ground cover abundantly flowering perennials (varieties of phlox subulate, aubrieta, heliantemum, herbal carnations, etc.) act as a colorful addition.

Several years ago I managed to get two rare varieties of western thuja with a very narrow crown. The graceful “Degroot” s Spire ”with lush green needles and the darker“ Zmatlik ”with scaly needles and twisted branches look like mini-obelisks that can be“ installed ”even in a very limited area. these two varieties require a thoughtful arrangement in a large composition, because among the balls and pillows slender narrow cones can look like protruding tails. rocky junipers of a similar shape (“Skyrocket”, “Moonglow”, etc.).

An unusual variety of thuja - the highlight of any composition

Among the wide variety of Western thuja varieties, there are several very original varieties that stand out for their rare color, intricate crown shape or unusual structure of needles. The weirdest, in my opinion, is “Filiformis”, because thanks to the little branching filamentous hanging shoots, it looks more like an alga than an ordinary thuja. By the way, there is a very similar variety of folded thuja "Whipcord", which is desirable to plant in sheltered places and cover for the winter.

Thuja varieties with scaly and needle-shaped needles look very impressive, for example, the bright conical “Rheingold” or the bushy “Ohlendorffii” with small branches and a fluffy crown. It is impossible not to mention the lovely dwarf thuja "Teddy" and the pretty light green-yellow "Anniek" with a dense ovoid crown. Both varieties require high humidity, and due to their compact size they can be placed in a mini-garden. Thuja "Golden Tuffet" also has needle-shaped needles and a flat-top pillow shape, uncharacteristic for any variety of tui. Young growths of this variety are colored orange-brown, which gives the plant an original look.

Each variety of thuja has a certain color of needles, which changes throughout the year and, if we talk about color, I would like to highlight the three most noticeable and original varieties. This is, firstly, the canary-yellow cone-shaped thuja “Jantar” - the brightest from my collection. Secondly, thuja “Stolwijk”, unsurpassed in the number of shades, whose openwork crown is decorated with yellow-white tips of shoots. And thirdly, thuja with a rounded crown “Selena”, the needles of which have a rare whitish-light green color.

Choosing a site for planting and planting material

I honestly admit that at the dawn of my hobby for conifers, I had very modest ideas about the peculiarities of growing these crops. The place for placing the first seedlings was chosen on the western side of the house, where it was necessary to "cultivate" the huge sand "cake" left after the construction. In the future, it was necessary to block the recreation area, and I planted a group of large-sized varieties on the north side of the buildings. As a result, it turned out that direct sunlight falls on my thujas in winter only at the end of the day, so they never burn.

It is known that with all their indisputable advantages, thuja, like some other conifers, have one annoying feature - they can suffer from early spring sunburn. Plants can be protected by installing a frame and covering with a special mesh with fine cells or lutrasil (17 g per sq. M). It is possible to build sunscreens, but these methods are only suitable for compact varieties that are no more than two meters in height. The easiest way is to choose a place for thujas where the sun does not fall in the middle of the day in winter, and other conifers, trees and shrubs can serve as protection.

When deciding to place thuja in the garden, it should be remembered that these plants grow weak in full shade, and varieties with yellow needles lose their color and look dull. Thuja western is a very unpretentious plant and can grow on any soil, as long as there is no long stagnation of water. In addition, when choosing a place for planting large varieties, it is important to take into account that thujas have a dense and powerful root system, which is located close to the surface of the earth.

Throughout the season, a wide range of conifers is available for gardeners, but the largest selection of western thuja varieties is offered from March to early June. Of course, it is preferable to purchase seedlings with a closed root system, which can be planted in open ground from early spring to late autumn. When buying in February, young seedlings must be overexposed at rest at a temperature of 0 +2 degrees (refrigerator, glazed balcony, unheated but frost-free room). In early spring, before the beginning of the growing season, thuja have a winter color of needles characteristic of each variety, and the shape of the crown of a young seedling may differ from the adult photo of the variety presented in the catalog. For example, spherical varieties at a young age usually have a fan-shaped crown flattened from the sides.

Despite the fact that thuja are very hardy plants, they, like most conifers, do not tolerate drying out of the root system poorly. Therefore, when choosing planting material, you must carefully examine the plant. For a good quality thuja seedling, it is quite natural if inside or at the base of the crown there are a small amount of dead, dry twigs of a beige-sandy color. It is permissible when traces of mechanical damage are visible at the ends of the branches or some tips of the shoots are pushed up - these are the consequences of transportation or too dense display of goods. In a living thuja, the branches are elastic and flexible, and the needles should not have dark brown spots. I advise you to especially carefully examine the varieties with needle needles, because they are most vulnerable to adverse factors. It is advisable to sprinkle and sprinkle all purchased seedlings with a solution of "Zircon", and when overexposing and transporting to the site, you should not keep thuja in tied plastic bags, it is better to use boxes or wrap the seedlings in paper.

Planting and caring for western thuja

Before planting, I take the seedling out of the container and soak it in a solution of "Kornevin" or any root formation stimulator for an hour. I dig a planting hole twice the size of the root coma; I separately prepare a soil mixture from garden soil, compost and sand (2: 1: 1). Next, it is advisable to gently knead the root ball and spread the roots of the plant. To do this, I confess, is very scary, but it is necessary for the normal further development of the root system. After that, I pour prepared earth on the bottom of the pit, drive in a metal peg (for vertical varieties) and plant the plant at such a level that the root collar is two centimeters above ground level. I spill the seedling well, holding it so that it does not tighten, and then tie it to the peg with a synthetic rope. When planting in hot weather, it is better to shade the thuja, and mulch the ground around the seedling and prevent it from drying out. I usually plant annual thuja saplings separately in a school, so as not to deprive a single “baby” of attention, and for the winter I set up a common shelter over the whole company. In the first year, you can do without fertilizers and use only root formation stimulants; monitor watering and, of course, cover the plants.

I feed adult large thuja in early May with a specialized fertilizer for conifers “Florovit”, but in order not to waste time on fertilizing and not injuring the roots, I simply sprinkle granules at the rate of 30 g per square meter and immediately mulch the near-stem circle with cut grass (5- 10 cm). If dry and hot weather sets in in summer, then I water abundantly and sprinkle. During the first five years of growing on the site, I additionally feed all the thuja at the end of August with autumn fertilizer for conifers, combining this with mulching with pine bark or litter.

The main insect pests that can attack my favorite plants are thuja aphids and thuja aphids. For prophylaxis, I spray the plantings at the end of April and at the beginning of July with a solution of "Fufanon". Judging by the fact that I have never seen pests on thujas, my labors are not in vain, but it was not immediately possible to find justice for the main enemy of my beauties. An adult thuja is an apartment building where birds nest in the penthouse and mice occupy the basement. From a good life in comfortable conditions, rodents damage the bark on the trunks of thujas, so I have to tie spruce branches around the stems for the winter and lay out “treats” for illegal settlers.

Most varieties of thuja are able to independently maintain a clear and neat crown shape. But when, over time, the plants grow and begin to interfere with each other, it is time to take up the garden shears. I cut thuja in June, in cloudy, but not rainy weather, when there is no strong wind. It is advisable to cut off only the non-lignified green part of the shoots, and it is permissible to remove up to 20-30% of the crown. If desired, you can give the thujas a cylindrical, cuboid or fancy spiral shape in a few years.

Of all the agrotechnical measures, I consider the preparation of thujas for winter the most important. At the end of October, I arrange a "big cleaning": with the help of a broom, I rid the center of the crown of dead branches. If this is not done, then in the places of forks of skeletal branches the bark can support, and in winter mice can settle in the thickness of dry needles. If the weather is dry in the fall, it is imperative to carry out water-charging irrigation, and after irrigation, young plants must be additionally mulched with compost. In order to prevent sleet or freezing rain from deforming the crown or breaking branches, it is better to spend a little time and tie up the thuja. Without waiting for the soil to freeze, I stick in wooden or metal sticks, the height of which is equal to the height of each thuja. I slightly tighten the vertical varieties with a strong synthetic rope and tie them to the supports; Thuja with a spherical crown “gird” with a garter tape and fix it to sticks stuck along the perimeter of the plant. To get to the tops of adult thujas, I use a large garden stepladder and fix the upper branches with wire.

In early spring, when there is an opportunity to visit the site, it is advisable to carefully shake off the snow from the crown of the thuja. This is done so that the snow settling during the thaw does not pull out the branches at the base of the plant. In general, the earlier the roots of the thuja “start working”, the better, and this applies to all conifers. To speed up the thawing of the soil, it is possible to spill the soil under the plants abundantly during warming, and then cover the trunk circle with pine bark or cover it with mats made of pressed coconut fiber. This event in April can be combined with the application of spring fertilizer for conifers, and when the average daily temperature exceeds +5 +8 degrees, then it is time to carry out preventive spraying of thujas with a solution of a copper-containing preparation (Abiga-Peak, HOM). In the spring, do not rush and free the conifers from the garters, because lately wet snow in May is not uncommon. If you find broken branches after winter, then the wound formed on the trunk must be cleaned with a sharp knife, treated with a HOM solution (half a teaspoon per 200 ml of water), allowed to dry, and then covered with garden varnish or a similar agent. If the thuja has received a sunburn, then the following resuscitation measures must be taken: abundant watering, spraying the crown with a solution of "Zircon" (in mid-April), applying special fertilizer to the soil to prevent browning of needles or magnesium sulfate. But it is better to cut off the branches affected by the burn when they dry out and it will be clear what to remove. For a speedy recovery in May and early summer, spraying with a solution of growth stimulants "Epin" or "HB-101" is carried out (every 10-14 days). During the summer, you can choose a more suitable place for the thuja and transplant the plant in early September. Due to the thick fibrous root system of thuja, even in an adult state, they tolerate transplantation well, the main thing is to maintain soil moisture and mulch the trunk circle for the winter so that the ground does not freeze as long as possible.

When a hobby turns into collecting and the garden is filled with bright colors of flowering shrubs and perennials from early spring, an unexpected effect may appear - a lack of green color. This is where the nice green conifers come in handy. Unpretentious thuja are not only able to emphasize the beauty of flowering plants, but they themselves surprise with a variety of shades. And to describe the special mood that is created by the presence of thujas in the garden, you can use the verses of the Indo-Persian poet of the 13th century. Amir Khosrova Dehlavi:
“Green caresses shadow at noon.
He gives peace to the soul and sight ”.

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(Thuja) is a genus of conifers of the Cypress family (Cupressaceae), which was named in 1753 by the Swedish botanist K. Linnaeus. The Latin name given by these scientists to this group of trees comes from the Greek word "thuo", which means "to sacrifice", since thuja wood was often used by our ancient ancestors during sacrifices - logs for a ritual fire during burning spread a pleasant aroma. This genus has six types of monoecious trees or shrubs. Their homeland is North America and East Asia. These plants are distinguished by a dense crown formed by shoots branched in one plane and pressed against them, criss-crossing needle-shaped (in young plants) needles. The oblong-oval cones at the ends of the branches consist of 3-4 pairs of leathery-woody scales, and the upper ones are sterile. Seeds with two narrow wings ripen in autumn, the year the plant is in bloom.

Tui live on average up to 150 years, but much older specimens are also known. All types of this plant are undemanding to soils, drought-resistant, well tolerate cutting and shaping. They are also used in urban greening due to their resistance to air pollution from smoke, gases and dust.

The most popular species is the western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), or "tree of life". It has been known in Europe since 1545. It is a short tree with a pyramidal or ovoid crown, native to the northeastern regions of North America, where the aborigines call it the "northern white cedar". From the needles of this plant (however, like other types of thuja), a yellowish-green liquid with a characteristic strong camphor smell is obtained - thuja essential oil. It is used in the aromatization of sprays and deodorants, and it is also used in medicine as a cardiac stimulant. Thuja western It is widely cultivated throughout Europe, in neighboring countries, as well as in Russia, where it appeared at the end of the XVItl century. Among gardeners, dwarf, weeping, variegated and miniature (undersized and dwarf) forms of western thuja are especially popular. This species is recommended for most regions, except for semi-desert zones and areas with severe winters.
Another source of thuja oil is the wood of the thuja folded (giant), or the so-called "western red cedar" (Thuja plicata). It reaches a greater height than other species, growing up to 65 m. Its homeland is the western regions of North America from California to Alaska. It grows both in the coastal areas of the Pacific Ocean and in the mountains, rising to 1800 m above sea level. The trunk of the thuja is folded, reaching a diameter of about 2 m, covered with a thin, fibrous, reddish-brown bark. The horizontally located and slightly hanging branches form a dense pyramidal crown. Scale-like needles are flat, shiny on the upper side, yellowish-green, dark green on the lower side, with whitish stripes of stomatal cells. It is tightly pressed against the shoots and has a strong, specific aroma. This plant lives for about 500 years. Since ancient times, the locals of the coastal regions of North America have used folded folds for weaving: ropes were made from soft and long bast fibers, ropes were woven, and even warm blankets were woven. This species has been in culture since 1853. All forms of folded thuja are extremely decorative, due to which they are widely used in landscape construction in the southern regions of Russia and neighboring countries (Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Transcarpathia).
Thuja oriental, or oriental biota (Biota orientalis and Thuja orientalis), is found in East Asia (China, Japan), It is an evergreen shrub or tree. It is used in Chinese medicine and homeopathy in different countries. In the open field, eastern thuja can only be grown in the southern regions, because it is very thermophilic. One of its forms, which has an original appearance, can be grown indoors.

FEATURES OF CULTIVATION, SOIL, LANDING RULES
Thuja care in the summer consists in regular watering and sprinkling (twice a week). During sprinkling, dust is washed off from the crown of the plant, which especially contributes to the strong spread of the refreshing aroma of the needles.
It is recommended to loosen too dense soil around the thuja periodically (no deeper than 10 cm) and mulch with peat or sawdust (with a layer of about 7 cm).
In youth, thuja grows slowly, but with age, the growth rate increases. The tree is shade-tolerant and frost-resistant - tolerates frosts below minus 35 ° C.
Growing in conditions of fertile garden soil and sufficient, but not excessive moisture, thuja develops a luxurious crown. Too dry soil and shady location are the reason that the plant loses its decorative effect: the crown of the thuja becomes rare, its needles fade (in golden and variegated varieties it loses its beautiful color), a large number of cones are formed.
In autumn, young thuja seedlings are covered with spruce branches, which will save the trees not only from winter frosts, but also from the scorching spring sun. A snowy winter can disturb the dense and dense crown of an adult thuja, breaking its branches, therefore, during the preparation of the tree for winter, the thuja is tied. In addition, you should be aware that in the winter, from sudden changes in temperature, cracks may appear on the trunk of the thuja, which are covered with garden pitch in the spring.
Thuja grow well on moist, light, sandy and slightly acidic soils, with the addition of leafy and soddy soil.
It is recommended to carry out work on planting or transplanting thuja in the spring. Plants with a closed root system tolerate it more easily. Planting holes must be prepared in advance. The area where the thuja is supposed to be planted should be sunny or partial shade. The distance between plants, as a rule, is 1-2.5 m, sometimes a little more. The planting depth is at least 70 cm, sometimes up to 1 m, in trenches for hedges, a depth of 0.6-1.0 m should be adhered to with soil filling and drainage to half the depth of the pit. Before planting, you should prepare a special soil - humus, leafy earth, peat, sand (3: 2: 1: 2). On an area with heavy soil and in places with stagnant (melt, rain) waters, it is advisable to fill in a thick (20 cm) layer of drainage into the planting pit, which can be used as broken brick. When planting thuja, it is not recommended to deepen or raise the root collar above ground level, it should be at ground level. During the first two years after planting, mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil at a concentration of 40 g / cm3.
You should not plant tall forms of thuja close (closer than 3 meters) to other trees and shrubs.

REPRODUCTION
Thuja propagates by seeds. When sowing in spring, seeds are stratified for a month or soaked for 12 hours in water, or kept in wet sand until they bite. Ornamental forms are often propagated by grafting. Cuttings that should be harvested in July-August are much more difficult to reproduce. Green cuttings are taken with a heel, from young, well-developed plants.

DISEASES AND PESTS
Thuvaya speckled moth. Thuja moth moth butterflies, only 4 mm in size, hatch and fly out at the end of May. If the scaly leaves of the thuja begin to turn brown, and the tops of its shoots die off, then most likely the tree is affected by this pest. Moves, gnawed in the leaf tissue by tiny larvae, and the caterpillars themselves can be seen in the light. In order to prevent the dispersal of butterflies, the affected plants at the end of June - July are treated twice with an interval of 8 days with agents containing pyrethroids.
Thuja tpya damages the thuja needles, which turn yellow and fall off, reducing the decorative effect of plantings. Aphids are gray-brown, covered with silvery-white wax dust. They live in colonies, suck on the underside of the shoots. Control measures: spraying with karbofos. Re-spraying as needed.
Thuya false shield is found on needles and twigs of thuja, multiplies in mass and causes great harm to plantings. The female is almost spherical, about 3 mm, yellow-brown. 2nd instar larvae hibernate under the bark of young shoots. The first young females appear in mid-May - June. Oviposition occurs from mid June to September. The maximum number of eggs in a clutch is 1300. Larvae appear in July and August. Control measures: before bud break, in the summer, during the mass release of vagrants (late June - early July), spraying with actellik, karbofos.
Thuja western is required for the winter treatment from mold with foundation.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN
The high gas resistance of thuja allows it to be used in landscaping cities and industrial facilities. In green building, this plant is used in group and single plantings, when creating alleys, living walls and hedges. Tui are beautifully cut and are often used to create architectural forms. However, novice gardeners should take into account that the overload of the landscape with thujas gives it a gloomy shade.

Thuja is a plant (tree or bush) of the Cypress family, has needles, is used by humans for decorative purposes. It grows in the east of North America.

There are the following types of thuja: western, Sichuan (Chinese), Korean thuja, Japanese, folded (giant).

These are evergreens with a dense crown. A lot of artificial thujas have been bred, they are distinguished by their durability, their needles do an excellent job with cold weather and dirty air.

The pleasant smell of trees is due to the presence of special oils of essential nature in the wood. Thuja is ideal for planting in temperate climates.

Landing

How to plant thuja? To do this, you need a place that should not be under prolonged sun radiation. Ultraviolet rays can dehydrate trees. Thuja needs deep and moist soil - choose sod; sand and peat additives are desirable to add too.

If a group of trees is planted, then a certain separation between the seedlings is required here - 1-5 meters, to be more precise - a hedge of thuja in one row will take 1 meter, two-row - 2 meters, and so on. Keep in mind that trees grow both in length and in width. 60-80 cm is the most suitable planting depth.

In spring, it is most favorable to plant thuja, but it is not forbidden to do this in other seasons - under the right conditions, if the gardener knows how to plant thuja.

Growing

Thuja seedlings thrive and grow on the ground and in pots, both single trees and hedges.

If the soil is heavy, it is drained with a layer of 15 to 20 cm. In the second year of the development of trees, they are fed with fertilizers of mineral composition.

As mentioned above, sunlight is not always favorable for trees, but excessive shade will cause the crown to thin out.

Transplanting a thuja requires a coma from the earth around its roots. Transplant is easier for young forms.

The depth of the pit - as when planting, the fluctuations depend on the ground around the roots, the size of the crown. Places for transplantation and seedlings are covered with earth, sand, peat (2: 1: 1), sprinkle from 50 to 100 grams of nitroammofoska on the thuja. The neck of the roots should be flush with the ground.

Top dressing is done in the spring. Complex fertilizers are suitable. In the case of using only minerals, I feed the thuja only in the second year.

The needles of any varieties of thuja emit a lot of moisture, so it is unacceptable that the soil in which the trees grow is dry. When planting is complete, the plant should be watered four times a month.

Crohn tui must be irrigated. Such procedures help the plant to get rid of dust, help the tree breathe easier, and this contributes to the good flow of processes in the cells of the tree.

During the growing season, loosening of the soil is carried out by 8-10 cm, since the roots of the thuja are located superficially.

For four years from the moment of growth, thuja must be protected from sunburn, which they can receive in the winter-spring period. But mature trees tolerate winter quite calmly.

Reproduction

Thuja is cultivated vegetatively or by seeds. The second method is suitable only for certain species. Among other things, this process is very long - it will take 3 to 5 years to grow a seedling.

You need to choose the freshest seeds for planting. They are covered under snow from the autumn period. Upon the arrival of spring, they are sown, placing them at a depth of only 0.5 cm, and covered with needles.

Future trees are hidden from the sun under shield structures, the soil is loosened and watered. Top dressing is carried out using slurry.

Usually, western thuja, as well as its forms, are bred by planting several summer shoots of cuttings, or by taking half-lignified cuttings - they are cut off this year so that on their basis there is a section of the old wood. Such cuttings root better.

They are processed using heteroauxin, and then placed in a greenhouse. The soil is prepared according to the standard. The stalk is planted to a depth of 1.5 to 2.5 cm.

In the greenhouse, it is necessary to establish a high humidity of the air, but not to allow the substrate to become overmoistened. For this purpose, spraying is carried out, but not watering.

In mid-autumn, cuttings are insulated using sawdust, leaves, spruce branches. When frosts come, the seedlings are covered with a film.

Diseases and pests

Thuja are susceptible to plant diseases, and they are caused by various pests, such as fungi Fusarium, Cytospora, Phoma. The needles, shoots, the root system of the thuja are attacked by them.

If you notice that the thuja has turned yellow, then the reason for this is such pests as flocks of thuja aphids and thuja false shields. The tree withers, the needles turn yellow and fall off.

Malofos will help to destroy them - the plants are treated with this solution several times until the buds open, at the end of the first month of summer, solutions of actellic, rogor, chlorophos are additionally used.

Photo of thuja

Danica(Danica) An ideal ball from a young age, grows no more than 60 cm. It grows slowly, at the age of 20, the height is about 50 cm. The needles are dense, soft, shiny, light green, slightly bronze in winter. Prefers sun and partial shade, undemanding to the soil, tolerates dryness and excessive moisture. Hibernating under the snow, it practically does not suffer from spring burns.

Dumosa(Dumoza) The crown is flattened or slightly rounded, height and diameter 1 m. At the top there are many vertical thin shoots 10-15 cm long. The needles are green all year round.

Globosa(Globoza) A spherical shrub, diameter and height no more than 2 m. The crown is dense, grows evenly in all directions. The needles are green in summer, brownish or grayish in winter. It grows slowly. More than other thujas need frequent watering, rejuvenating pruning is recommended every 2 years. Its shape is at first rounded, later conical, can reach 2 m in height. The needles are dull green, brownish in winter.

Golden globe(Golden Globe) The shrub is rounded, 1 m in height and in diameter. It grows slowly, 8-10 cm per year. The needles are golden yellow, in autumn they acquire a copper tint. Prefers sun or partial shade. A haircut enhances the density of the crown.

Little champion(Little Champion) Round-shaped dwarf thuja. The ends of the branches hang slightly. At first, it grows quickly, after reaching 50 cm, growth slows down. The needles are bright green, slightly brown in winter.

Recurva nana(Recurva Nana) The name translates as "curved low". The branches are curved, the ends of young shoots are twisted. The crown is thick, terry, reminiscent of moss.

Stolwijk(Stolvik) Shrub up to 1.5 m with a hemispherical crown. The lower part is dense, the upper part is sparse, and consists of several trunks. The needles are green, the young growth is yellow-white. Loves the sun and fertile moist soil, does not tolerate dry air.

Tiny Tim(Teeny Tim) Very beautiful dwarf form with a rounded crown. It grows slowly, rarely more than 1 m. The branches are short, forming lace spirals. The needles are dark green, turning brown in winter. Photophilous.

Woodwardii(Woodwari) It is a dense ball, its height and diameter are 1.5 m. The needles are dark green, do not change color in winter. It grows slowly. In very harsh winters, the ends of annual shoots can freeze.

Thuja varieties of western original form

Today, thuja with an original form of shoots are very much appreciated, for example, Cristata(Kristata), which means "comb". This is a beautiful slender tree about 3 m high with a narrow uneven crown, branches are curved and directed upwards, needles are grayish-green.

No less interesting Spiralis(Spiralis), graceful, with a narrow-conical or columnar crown and a long, sharp tip, grows up to 5 m. The surface of the crown is strongly wavy, because the lateral branches are twisted in a spiral, the needles are bluish-green. In terms of growth rate, it is ahead of all garden forms.
Thuja cascading looks unusual Filiformis(Filiformis, "threadlike"). It has a dense, rounded crown and long, drooping shoots.