The larger the market offer, the more difficult it is for us to make a decision. Which thuja is best suited for our project? The Brabant and Smaragd varieties are the most commonly used. But new breeds also attract with special properties. The good thing about this rich selection is that it has the right variety for every application. We just have to discover them. So let's look at the typical characteristics of some selected trees of life.
The right thuja variety
Thujen are popular trees and are suitable for various uses. Find the right Thuja variety for hedges or tubs.
Thuja for the hedge
When the cold and darkness come over the country in autumn, thujas still keep their soft needles. Some strains even put on an enchanting color change. This aspect is particularly welcome in winter, when other hedges are “transparent” with their bare branches and reveal the property to strangers.
Today trees of life are offered in more than 120 varieties. It goes without saying that they differ from one another in a number of respects. All types of thuja presented below have properties that are ideal for quickly creating a living hedge. You can decide which variety you want to plant personally based on its appearance and other criteria.
From A - C
atrovirus
Thuja plicata Atrovirens is a giant arborvitae that grows rapidly in its youth. This hardy variety is therefore a good choice when a tall hedge is needed quickly.
- thrives in almost any soil
- the needles are shiny
- remain deep green even in winter
- they spread a spicy scent
tip: If this thuja is pruned twice a year, it grows densely branched and new growth gives it a vital and youthful appearance.
Brabant
The Brabant variety belongs to the species Thuja occidentalis. Trees of this type are also known as western trees of life. They grow tall and are all easy to care for. Brabant is very popular and will therefore not be missing from any tree nursery. This tree of life is ideal when medium-high and high hedges are desired. These are the main features:
- Brabant has horizontal, densely branched branches
- Needles are colored green
- New growth shines yellowish
- grows about 30 cm per year
- grows up to 4 m high
- tolerates pruning very well and is very hardy
- also suitable for dry areas
column
Reach for this strain if you live in a harsh area. It easily withstands -30 degrees Celsius. However, for its summer growth it needs sun, max. semi-shade. You can also grab it if you don't like the typical Thuja scent. The Columna variety exudes it only very delicately, barely perceptible.
- grows columnar
- increases in height and width by approx. 20 cm per year
- grows up to 4 m high and about 1.5 m wide
- only needs to be cut minimally
tip: Expect 2-3 plants per meter of hedge due to the columnar shape. Of course, this tree of life can also stand as a solitaire without losing any of its beauty.
From E - M
Excelsa
The Giant Thuja Excelsa is a robust, evergreen and hardy coniferous tree. Your soil requirements are low. Like all thujas, it does not like extreme drought. Its soft leaf is elegant and shiny. It can be pruned back into a hedge, but does not tolerate heavy pruning into old wood. So that it still grows compactly, it should be cut once or twice a year.
Holmstrup
This breed from Denmark is slow-growing. It is ideal if you want to create a low hedge.
- stays green all the time
- grows in height and width 10-15 cm per year
- suitable for framing garden areas
- also shines as a solitaire
tip: Thuja Holmstrup has a stable root system, which gives it good stability. You can plant them in a windy garden without hesitation.
Martin
This giant tree is perfect for giant hedges. It is also robust and adapts to different living conditions.
- suitable for hedges up to 5 m high
- grows compact and opaque
- its leaf is shiny
Thujas as a solitaire
Some Thuja varieties offer beautifully colored needles and a naturally attractive growth habit. You deserve to be admired from all sides. Instead of planting them in a row with other specimens, offer them a spot in the middle of the garden. The following thuja varieties are suitable for this.
aurescens
Even in a large garden, the Aurescens tree of life, with its growth height of up to 8 m, will definitely not be overlooked. It's a shame to squeeze this magnificent thuja into a hedge.
- grows into a pointed cone
- is at the same time densely leafy
- has decorative yellow tips
- is fast-growing and undemanding
- as well as windproof and hardy
emerald
The emerald tree of life is very popular in this country. Its name also reveals one of the reasons: the colour. His needle dress shines green like the precious stone emerald. Although the Thuja Smaragd can also be raised as a hedge, a single position is ideal. It grows so elegantly and uniformly on its own that pruning is hardly necessary.
- grows about 20 cm per year
- tolerates sunny and shady places
- has no great demands on the soil
- only sensitive to drought
sunkist
The Sunkist tree of life shines brightly golden in competition with the sun. With this and its slender cone shape, it looks extremely attractive as a solitaire.
- grows 20-30 cm annually
- becomes 2-3 m high and 1-2 m wide
- loves plenty of light
- as well as a permeable, fresh soil
Yellow Ribbon
The typical thing about this tree of life is its bright yellow foliage. If you want an eye-catcher for your garden all year round, you are guaranteed to get it with Yellow Ribbon. In addition to winter hardiness and pruning tolerance, the following information is also of interest:
- conical, dense growth
- grows 30 cm per year
- reaches 8 m in height and 2.5 m in width
- high site tolerance
- good regenerative ability
Thuja varieties for tubs and small gardens
Some arborvitae species grow very slowly and remain modestly small overall. They will never become a real hedge. But they are ideally suited as long-lasting planting in large tubs or as solitaires in a small garden. You can use them to set green accents on the left and right of the front door. Or just let them spread their charm on the terrace. Which varieties are well suited for these projects? Lots. We present you with a selection.
From A - G
Aurea Nana
Aurea Nana is a bushy, cone-shaped tree that grows very slowly at 10 to 20 cm per year. At a young age, he can get lost in a large garden. But in a bucket, its golden-yellow presence is impressive. In it, at 1.5 m, it becomes a giant among potted plants.
Danica
Which plant grows into a ball by itself without the owner having to use scissors on a regular basis? The dwarf thuja Danica is such a tree. Whenever a green ball is welcome as a design element, you can plant Danica.
- can grow up to 80 cm
- from spring to summer the foliage color is green
- in autumn the ball turns brown
- from April to May Danica flowers inconspicuously yellow
- then small brown cones form
tip: Slightly cut back Danica in the period from June to July to further optimize its spherical shape.
Golden Globe
Golden Globe grows slightly taller than Danica at 1 m. The dwarf thuja grows into a flat, round shape. The color of the soft needles is green-yellow, their shoot tips are delicately orange.
- Twigs hang down slightly at the edges
- Golden Globe loves a place in the sun
- wants a nutrient-rich and permeable substrate
tip: This dwarf thuja not only cuts a fine figure in a pot. It is also a great eye-catcher in a garden covered with small stones. In it, her beauty is presented as if on a salver.
From R - W
Rhinegold
Rheingold has different types of growth. This tree of life can grow as a 4 m high conifer in the garden or as a bonsai in a pot.
- grows slowly at 5 to 15 cm per year
- has delicate branches
- the shoot is yellowish
- rather globular when young
- then broadly columnar, with a strong central shoot
teddy
This tree of life doesn't get any bigger than a big teddy bear. That's why you can find a place for this conifer anywhere. You can even plant one or, even better, several teddies in the balcony box.
- grows round
- has very fine and dense foliage
- stays green all the time
Tiny Tim
The "Tiny Tim" is a dwarf thuja and therefore ideally suited for a bucket existence. As a hardy plant, you can of course also plant them directly in the garden. In any case, this thuja also thrives in the middle of the city air.
- develops broadly spherical
- is very slow-growing with an increase of 3-5 cm per year
- the scales are densely arranged
- Foliage color is dark green, brownish in winter
- only needs to be cut slightly
tip: Tiny Tim is also well suited for grave design. The dwarf thuja brings green accents in the smallest of spaces and can also be in close proximity to flowering plants.
whipcord
Do you only have a very small garden to offer? Whipcord will still find enough space in it. The dwarf thuja is just about 0.4 m high. Yet she offers an amazing crown.
- long, thin, downward-curving twigs
- shiny green needles hang down like threads
- only grows about 3 cm per year
tip: The modest space in a pot is guaranteed to suffice for the small whipcord. If you don't have a garden, you don't have to do without this thuja!