Thuja east - varieties, description, sizes

Particularly popular in gardens and landscape design are thuja. And the reason for this is not only their evergreen appearance, but also their long lifespan, as well as their unpretentiousness in care. One of the varieties of this culture is the thuja orientalis. About how she looks and what conditions she needs, will be described below.

Botanical Description

Thuja east (in Latin "Thuja Orientalis") is an evergreen tree belonging to the Cypress family. Under natural conditions it is widespread in the forests of Korea, China and Japan. It can also be found in mixed forests of Russia and Ukraine.

What does a tree look like?

Also, this species is called thuja biota or the tree of life. The plant received its last name due to its healing leaves and seeds. The tree itself in the process of growth releases volatile, cleansing the environment from viruses and microbes.

The crown of the young thuja has an ovoid shape, which becomes canonical or pyramidal with age. During the year, the tree grows only 15-17 cm tall and up to 15 cm wide. The height of the adult thuja reaches 15-17 m and a diameter of 4-5 m. The main branches grow vertically to the trunk, the branches are slightly raised, and the small branches are tightly pressed.

Appearance

Evergreen needles tightly pressed against the branches. In winter, the lateral leaves acquire a brownish tint, and turn green again by spring. The needles live for no more than 3 years, after which it falls off with the branches. Flowers are represented by dusty cones and do not bear decorative value.

Species features

There are three main forms of squamous: tall, dwarf and stunted. The first is used in creating hedges, in park alleys and garden groups. The second form is widespread in rockeries and in small garden areas. Low-growing varieties are often found when creating live borders.

The wide spread of thuja in landscape design is due to several reasons:

• most varieties are unpretentious. They can grow on any soil, calmly tolerate drought and do not need regular feeding;
• the compact root system of the fibrous type provides the plant with good survival even when transplanted in adulthood;
• a large number of varieties allows you to choose the best option for growing.

Groups of varieties by speed of growth, shape and color of the crown

Thuja flat-flowing (it is also eastern) is widely used to create live borders and hedges. In total there are more than 50 varieties, but not all of them are suitable for the climatic features of Russia. Only two species are most in demand.

Thuja eastern Pyramidalis (Pyramidalis Aurea)

Thuja eastern Aurea has golden thick needles. With its help, you can protect the site from strong winds. In summer, it is resistant to drought, and in winter it is able to withstand frosts up to −25 ° С.

Thuja east Aurea Nana (Area Nana)

Thuja Aurea Nana, the description and dimensions of which correspond to the dwarf form, reaches a height of less than 2 m. The thick needles in the summer period take on golden hues, and by winter it becomes turquoise.

Thuya Aurea Nana

Growing

Growing this plant is possible on slightly acidic and neutral soil. Also, a ready-made substrate and stony soil can be used as soil. It is resistant to drought, but can also grow with close occurrence of groundwater.

Climate Requirements

Since biota belongs to southern plants, it is recommended to create optimal conditions for its cultivation. It is also worth knowing some individual features and characteristics of this variety:

• resistance to drought;
• the possibility of growth in the shade;
• poor perception of waterlogging;
• in the spring burns from sunshine are possible;
• poor frost resistance;
• thuja is not demanding on the soil;
• the possibility of growing in open areas.

If the plant is grown in more severe climatic conditions, warming is recommended before the onset of winter. If this is not done, frostbite of the branches and subsequent death of the entire tree will occur. When grown in the southern regions, insulation is not required. In a warm climate, thuja grows faster and becomes more luxurious.

Features of growing thuja in Siberia

Ploskovetochnik not able to tolerate severe frosts in Siberia. Already at temperatures below −25 ° C, there is a high probability of plant death. Some gardeners prefer to shelter for the winter thawed with spruce branches and plenty of snow. However, such a shelter does not always save from harsh winters.

One of the effective options for growing thuja in Siberia is to plant it in containers. To do this, compact varieties are selected, which are exposed to fresh air in the warm season, and are brought into a heated room with the onset of frost.

Proper fit and seat selection

Landing of the ploskadochnik should be planned for early May. A spring procedure will allow the plant to better adapt to winter. In the southern regions, landing is possible until the second half of September. As for the place, the best option would be a lighted area, but without direct sunlight.

Thuja landing procedure

Step-by-step procedure for landing east thuja:

1. A pit is dug out by a depth corresponding to the size of the root system of the plant. On average, this value ranges from 55 to 80 cm. With a close occurrence of groundwater, 20-30 cm of the drainage layer is laid out.
2. The seedling is carefully placed in the hole without deepening the root neck. It should be flush with the surface of the earth.
3. The hole is filled with a mixture of 2 parts of turf land (you can take sheet) and 1 part of sand and peat.
4. When planting several thuja Pyramidilis, Aurea Nana and other varieties, it is necessary to maintain a distance of 1 to 4 m between them.

Breeding methods

Ploskovetochnik, aka Platikladus orientalis, reproduces in three ways.

• The seeds. They are removed in the fall and until spring are stored in the snow or in the refrigerator. This procedure speeds up seed germination. Landing is carried out from April to May in pre-made grooves.
• Cuttings. As a planting material, two-year branches act, which are cut at the beginning of summer. Slices are treated with drugs that stimulate growth and also prevent the development of diseases. After that, it is planted in a container to a depth of not more than 3 cm.
• By dividing the bush. If the thuja grows with two trunks, you can carefully divide it. The division should occur in such a way that each of the trunks remains roots.

Preparing for the winter

It is recommended that all young arborvitae, as well as plants on the stem, be thoroughly cultivated, and peat the trunk area should be covered. To prevent damage to the branches, they should also be tied up before the onset of winter. As a shelter any nonwoven fabric is used.

Flat biota is widely used for decoration of private gardens and landscape compositions. Its unpretentiousness and attractive appearance made this type of thuja popular among gardeners.