The dwarf variety Rheingold belongs to a rather extensive species of western thuja. A very slowly growing tree does not get tired to please the owner, because throughout its entire life the crown continuously changes its size and shape.
Thuja West Rheingold
The highlight of the variety is a special golden shade of needles, which gave the name of the plant - Golden rain. The yellowish-bronze color of the tops of the shoots looks favorable against the background of juicy dark green neighbors, which is widely used in landscape design. With the onset of frost, the bronze color only intensifies, becomes brighter.
Adult Rheingold Thuja over 10 years old
Due to its high frost resistance, the variety is suitable for cultivation on almost the entire territory of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. For breeding in German nurseries, the wild predecessors of western arborvitae were chosen as the basis. It turned out an unpretentious plant with a high life expectancy.
Thuya Reingold - description and sizes
The culture was specially bred to decorate gardens and parks within the city. The variety is resistant to growth in a gassed atmosphere. The crown is very thick, rounded in shape, responding well to forming pruning.
On a note! The thuja will reach the maximum height only by 35-40 years. Numerous short branches, of approximately equal length, depart from the main shoots. The bark is maroon with a brown undertone.
Twig Thuy Rheingold
Needle needles on the tops of young twigs have a needle shape, a year later turning into scaly. Young needles - thick and tightly pressed to the stems, light yellow, even a little pink. In the second half of summer, they turn bright orange, and with the advent of autumn they turn brown. Older plants have a green lower crown and an orange crown.
Cones are formed annually in a rather modest amount, have a dark gray color and a diameter of not more than 10 mm. The bump consists of thin, tightly squeezed scales, behind which brown small seeds with light beige tiny lionfish hide.
Western thuja is characterized by a superficial root system. In the variety Rheingold it is mixed, highly intertwined. The main central roots are only 50 cm deep.
How fast growing
Over the course of a lifetime, the thuya Reingold changes. Young plants have a pillow-like or spherical crown. As it develops further, it becomes more like a cone. The growth is extremely slow - usually about 6 cm per year, maximum - up to 10 cm. At 10 years of age, the tree has a limit height of 1.2 m. In total, this thuja will only extend 2-3 m above the ground for the full life cycle.
Landing and caring for Thuya Reingold
Strong gusts of wind to strong branches are not terrible. If a seedling is planted in a place blown by all drafts, this will not harm him in the least. The air polluted and smoked by automobile exhausts will not cause noticeable damage to the beauty of the needles. The thuja will reach its greatest beauty in a well-lit place, on which during the day no shadow falls from anywhere.
Important! The drought and the scorching sun are not terrible for the Reingold variety; its needles do not burn out and do not dry out.
Every 3 years, needles are updated. The upper part of the shoots is crumbled to form a young substitution in exchange.
How to plant thuya reingold
Transplanting a seedling with an open root system to a new place involves preliminary measures that increase survival:
- For 6 hours, the roots are soaked in a solution of manganese, after which all damaged fragments are removed.
- 6 hours maintain the root system in a solution of "Kornevin" to stimulate active growth.
If the seedling is purchased from a nursery, then it is usually a 3-year-old plant in a container (with a closed root system).
3-4 year old thuya reingold sapling
The coniferous frost resistance is high - up to -39 ° С. However, young seedlings should be given more attention, since a poorly rooted plant can die in a frosty winter without shelter. For this reason, it is recommended to land in the spring, abandoning the autumn. The optimal time is the second half of May.
Step-by-step landing instructions:
- A hole is dug, taking into account the size of the root coma.
- At the bottom, 20 cm of gravel or gravel is poured for drainage.
- The excavated soil is mixed with a small amount of sand and 50 g of superphosphate are added to feed.
- A third of the soil is poured back, centering the seedling and the rail for the garter.
- The roots are gently covered with the remaining soil, immediately watering abundantly.
- The trunk circle is mulched with a layer of mulch 5-10 cm.
Watering mode
Drought tolerance is moderate in this variety. With a prolonged absence of rain, they are watered at the rate of 7 liters of water under each tree 2 times a week. Adult plants need watering only a couple of times a month for 15-20 liters. The best time for watering is morning or evening, with sprinkling. The crown can be sprayed daily, especially in hot and dry climates.
Top dressing
In the first 4 years, fertilizers will not be required to the seedling. After top dressing, make annually. Fertilizers for cypress are used in spring; Kemira station wagon is also suitable. Organics are recommended to be introduced once in the middle of summer.
Features of summer care
The growth rate of the thuya Reingold is very slow, but at the same time the crown forms a thick and regular round shape. Young shoots growing every year do not appear untidy, therefore, you can not do formative pruning at all.
Important! Improving pruning is carried out before the sap flow begins in early spring to remove dried or broken twigs, as well as weak and curved ones.
Thuy Reingold preparing for winter
Frosts can not cause serious damage to an adult plant. If individual branches freeze, they will recover on their own over the summer. Before wintering, abundant watering, mulching of the trunk circle is required. It is recommended to cover the young seedling with burlap or agro-canvas to prevent breakage of branches during winter storms.
Thuja breeding West Reingold
Among the breeding methods for this variety are recommended generative and vegetative. The survival rate of planting material is excellent. Propagate by seeds longer, so the method is used much less often.
Thuy Reingold seedlings grown in containers
Seed propagation
Seeds formed each year carry 100% of the parent's genetic information. Gather cones at the end of October, and then immediately sow on containers, which are left right on the garden plot, covered with plastic wrap. Natural stratification will allow seeds to hatch together next spring. In summer, containers are watered and cover material is removed when stable, warm weather is established.
The seedlings are kept in containers for a year, and in the second they are planted in separate containers. Only in the third year of life can you land in open ground. By this time only strong and viable seedlings will survive, and the weak will die.
Propagation by cuttings
Cutting helps to save a year, since a full-fledged seedling is obtained in just 2 years. Cuttings are cut in July from last year's shoots with a lignified part. The optimal length of the handle is 25-30 cm. It is immersed with the end in fertile soil, and covered for the winter.
Important! Rooting takes place over the next year. If it was successful, then by the autumn young shoots will appear on the stalk. The following spring, the seedling is planted in its permanent place.
Why Thuja Reingold turns yellow
The cause of yellowing of the needles may be:
- Thuja false shield. Its appearance is accompanied by the appearance of yellow spots on the crown. Specialized insecticides are used against it.
- Speckled moth. Following the appearance of brown spots on the crown, the crown of the thuja dies. Only quick treatment with a agent in which pyrethroid is present will help.
- Thuja aphids. The insect sucks the juices of their young needles. For preventive purposes, in May or June it is necessary to treat all plants with specialized insecticides.
Thuja of the Reingold variety is an attractive dwarf conifer that will decorate any landscape with its unusual crown with a bronze tint. It is great for forming borders, but it looks equally decorative and alone.
