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Thuja Smaragd belongs to the tall trees of the cypress family. The ornamental plant has the shape of a pyramid. A distinctive feature of the variety is that it retains its green color even in winter.
This unpretentious plant makes the garden unique and cozy at any time of the year.
You should know the peculiarities of growing thuja, caring for it, and methods of propagation in order to avoid problems during planting and further cultivation.
Description of thuja Smaragd
According to the description and photo, the western thuja Smaragd has one of the best conical shapes.
The crown of the conifer is narrow, dense, pyramidal. The variety was bred in Denmark. The plant grows quickly. Its needles are scaly, bright green, and thick. The branches are arranged vertically.
The cones are brown and sparse. Their shape is oval, elongated, up to 1 cm long.
The average lifespan of a plant is 130 years. The tree grows quickly. The annual growth is 20 cm in height and about 5 cm in width.
Ephedra is widely used for hedges and in single plantings. Unlike the Columna variety, Smaragd grows more slowly and has brighter needles, and in adulthood is 3 m shorter. The main difference is that Columna has a cylindrical crown shape.
Thuja is able to tolerate polluted air, saturating it with beneficial phytoncides, especially during flowering. The culture is frost-resistant, not demanding on soils, and unpretentious in care.
Dimensions of an adult thuja Smaragd plant
With fairly rapid growth, the height of an adult thuja Smaragd is 5 - 6 m. This should be remembered when determining the planting site, since after a few years a tree grows that can block the view. There are varieties of thuja Smaragd that grow up to 3 m, which allows them to be successfully used for hedges. The crown width is 70 - 80 cm. Trees are planted at a distance of 50 cm from each other.
The growth rate of thuja depends on the variety and averages 25 cm per year.
Varieties and varieties of western thuja Smaragd
There are several popular varieties of thuja Smaragd, differing in plant height in adulthood, annual growth rate, and appearance:
- Sunny Smaragd – with a conical crown shape and golden-green needles, maximum plant height - 3 m;
- Golden Smaragd – has a golden crown, short, densely spaced shoots, the height of the conifer in adulthood is 10 m;
- Smaragd Variegata – the crown of the tree is conical, narrow, bright green, the ends of the shoots are white;
- Smaragd Vitbont - one of the slowest growing varieties of thuja, which is ideal for creating hedges, the crown is 2 m high, pyramidal, green-cream in color;
- Spotty Smaragd – the tree has a lush appearance, a pyramidal crown, green needles with light specks;
- Spiral – thuja with a unique spiral-shaped crown, looks ideal in single plantings.
The use of thuja Smaragd in landscape design
Thuja Smaragd has clear and slender shapes, so most often it is used as a fence for paths in parks, squares, and in urban environments.
Arborvitaes look great alone and in groups. Even a single tree located on a neatly trimmed lawn looks impressive.
Groups of five to seven plants planted together emphasize the geometry of the site, making it clearer and more organic.
Thuja Smaragd is appropriate near bodies of water, the entrance to the house, and also in the garden.
Thuja hedge Smaragd
As you can see in the photo, in landscape design thuja Smaragd is most successfully used to create spectacular hedges.
Slender trees, planted closely in relation to each other, can replace any fence - stone, metal, brick. The simple purpose of such a fence is to retain and absorb dust and harmful substances emitted by transport, and provide protection from wind and noise. This type of fencing gives the area privacy and coziness. Caring for a hedge is not difficult - just trim it on time.
How can you propagate thuja Smaragd
There are several ways to propagate thuja Smaragd. Among them:
- seminal – only fresh material is used for sowing, since germination is lost after a year, the characteristics of the variety may not be preserved after growing thuja from seeds;
- horizontal layers – does not guarantee the preservation of the crown shape;
- cuttings - the most commonly used method, which uses lateral branches with a heel that can take root well.
By layering
Thuja Smaragd is a plant that can be propagated using layering, but this method does not provide a guaranteed result of maintaining the pyramidal shape of the crown.
For rooting, one of the lower branches of the thuja is bent to the ground and pinned into a pre-prepared groove. Cover it with soil, and set the top of the shoot in a vertical position. Often lopsided seedlings grow from rooted branches, the shape of which can be gradually corrected. It takes about a year for rooting, after which the seedling is separated from the mother plant and transferred to a permanent place.
Cuttings
All types of thuja are propagated using the vegetative method. Cuttings are taken in early spring, when the plant has not yet become active. Mature branches are cut 10 - 12 cm long and 1 cm thick. The cut is made at an angle of 45o. You can also not cut it, but pick the cutting with a piece of bark and wood. Remove all branches except the top and treat the cut with a root formation stimulator. The cuttings are planted in a soil mixture consisting of sand, humus and vermiculite in equal proportions.The soil is compacted, watered, and the shoots are covered with film to create a microclimate.
Once the cuttings begin to grow, they are rooted but not ready to be transplanted because the root system is small and fragile. Therefore, the seedlings should be grown and only after a year or two planted in a permanent place.
Planting and caring for thuja Smaragd
Despite the unpretentiousness of the plant, planting and caring for the western thuja Samgard must follow certain rules:
- Choose a location according to the needs of the plant.
- Purchase a seedling without damage, with healthy needles and root system.
- Find soil that is well drained, moist, and breathable.
- Regularly fertilize and water.
- Carry out sanitary and periodic pruning.
- Control pests and diseases of thuja.
- Protect young seedlings from burns.
- Prepare plants for winter.
Recommended timing
The optimal time for planting thuja Smaragd is spring. Experts advise doing this as early as possible so that the plant has time to adapt to new conditions and prepare for wintering. As soon as weather and climatic conditions allow, the seedling is placed in open ground.
In autumn, Thuja Smaragd takes root worse. Sometimes she doesn't have enough time to take root. To improve the habituation of seedlings, it is worth purchasing plants with a closed root system. If agricultural practices are violated, the tree takes a long time to begin to grow in the spring and develops slowly.
Site selection and soil preparation
Thuja Smaragd turns yellow if planted incorrectly. It requires a sunny location with full light for at least four hours a day. Variegated varieties do not lose color in the shade, but their growth is greatly slowed down.
When planting a thuja close to other trees and shrubs, its crown may become distorted and form one-sided. Even after removing vegetation or replanting a seedling, this is difficult to correct.
For thuja Smaragd, soil that is light and nutritious is suitable. The tree grows well on loam or clay soil enriched with peat and humus; it also feels good on drained soils.
At what distance to plant thuja Smaragd
When planting thuja Smaragd, leave a distance of 60 cm between plants: it provides dense, dense vegetation, a hedge that can protect the area from wind, snow drifts, and dust. To increase density, a two-row arrangement of seedlings is used. The distance between the rows is 1 m. In this case, the thujas are arranged in a checkerboard pattern, do not interfere with each other and develop normally and fully.
You should not plant the crop in the shade of deciduous and tall coniferous trees to avoid asymmetrical crown growth. The distance between plants should be at least 4 - 5 m. Perennial flowering plants and ornamental shrubs, which are small in height, do not interfere with the development of thujas and can be located next to the crown if they are shade-tolerant.
Algorithm for planting thuja Smaragd
When planting thuja, you should follow a certain pattern:
- Prepare a planting hole twice as large as the root ball.
- Lay drainage from broken bricks, pebbles, expanded clay.
- Make a soil mixture of peat, sand and loam.
- Place it in the hole with a mound.
- Place the seedling in the center of the planting hole on a mound.
- Fill the voids with soil mixture.
- Place the root collar at ground level.
- Water the plant.
- Mulch the tree trunk circle.
- Shade the seedling.
Rules for growing thuja Smaragd
By following simple rules, you can grow healthy, beautiful trees that have a spectacular appearance and fit into the composition and design of the site.
The description of the thuja Smaragd and its care require the implementation of a number of necessary measures.
Watering and fertilizing schedule
Frequent, regular watering is required for newly planted young plants. Later, moisturizing should be done less frequently, since Thuja Smaragd tolerates a lack of moisture better than its excess.
Trees planted in spring require watering once a week. In hot weather, it is worth doubling the multiplicity.
Sprinkling is very useful for thuja, which helps remove dust from the needles and open the pores. The plant begins to “breathe” and emit a pine aroma. Spraying in the evening helps replenish the needles with moisture that evaporates in the heat.
Abundant watering is required before wintering if the autumn is dry and warm. This should not be done in rainy weather.
Trimming
There are two main types of pruning of thuja Smaragd:
- sanitary;
- formative.
The first is necessary to remove old, diseased or damaged shoots. Formative pruning is carried out to change the shape of the crown or give a more neat appearance to the plants.
Haircuts are carried out in the spring, 10 days after the average daily temperature rises to 10 oWith or in summer, after flowering.
Preparing for winter
An adult plant does not need shelter for the winter.Protection is required only for young, immature seedlings of thuja Smaragd. For this purpose, special frames are prepared, onto which non-woven material is later stretched. It is possible to use bags placed directly on the plants. The root system should be further insulated by increasing the layer of leaf mulch mixed with the soil. These events take place in late autumn. You should not cover thujas with snow in winter. This can lead to the seedlings becoming overheated.
In the spring, the covers are removed gradually, thereby preventing the needles from burning.
Tips for Beginners
When starting to grow thuja, you should know:
- sunny places or light partial shade are suitable for planting;
- in dense shade the needles will fade and the crown will thin out;
- the soil should be breathable, loose, moist;
- the planting hole is prepared in advance, its average dimensions are 70 by 100 cm;
- the root collar should be located above the soil surface;
- the air around the crown should be humidified so that the needles do not dry out and fall off;
- You cannot leave a thuja Smaragd seedling in the winter in an apartment or house; the container with the plant must be buried outside until spring.
Why is it dangerous to plant thuja Smaragd in the house?
Recently, planting thujas in the house, on the veranda, balcony, and terrace has become very popular. The plant is very decorative, creates comfort and a pine aroma around itself. According to the description and photo, the size of the thuja Smaragd and the volume of the root system suggest its cultivation in open ground, on the street, where there is enough space and nutrients in the soil.
Growing in a pot or tub leads to drying out in the summer and freezing of the roots in the winter. It is dangerous to leave a plant in a room over the winter. At home, thuja will not be able to survive, since the tree needs a period of rest.
How quickly does Thuja Smaragd grow?
To reach its maximum height, Thuja Smaragd will need several years. Depending on the variety, annual growth ranges from 10 cm to 50 cm. Life expectancy is from 50 to 150 years. The tree grows quite quickly and after 4 years reaches a height of 2.5 m. The diameter of its crown at this moment is about 70 - 80 cm. The ability for accelerated growth is used to create hedges from plants in a short time.
How to speed up the growth of thuja Smaragd
To speed up the growth of thuja, gardeners use several simple and well-known methods:
- Carry out regular watering and sprinkling of the crown, avoiding waterlogging of the soil.
- From the fourth year of life, they begin to trim the tips of the shoots, which promotes more intensive growth of thuja branches.
- Potassium and phosphorus fertilizing is carried out, which increases and accelerates annual growth.
How to thicken the crown at the root of Thuja Smaragd
Do not be afraid to trim the top of the thuja if it has become very elongated or dried out. After shortening, healthy branches receive increased nutrition, due to which the crown becomes thicker and can be given a new interesting shape. The peak will recover over time. It is recommended to carry out such pruning at least once every two years.
Pests and diseases of thuja Smaragd
Thuja is resistant to diseases and pests, but if the soil is waterlogged or fresh manure is used as fertilizer, the plant can develop a number of fungal diseases: brown shoots; rust; Schutte; late blight.
To combat them, fungicides and Bordeaux mixture are used.
The main pests of thuja include the weevil; spider mite; wireworm; thuja moth; aphid.
They get rid of them using insecticides and folk remedies.Severely damaged shoots are removed and disposed of.
Conclusion
Thuja Smaragd is a wonderful tree that can grow on any soil except wetlands. It looks great as a fence, individual and group plantings. Its rapid growth and ease of care are the reason for its extraordinary popularity among gardeners.
