Thuja or arborvitae are available in numerous varieties in garden shops. Not every type is suitable for every purpose. There are varieties that are just as suitable for an opaque hedge as they are for care in a bucket or as a topiary. A small overview of well-known Thuja species.
Which Thuja varieties are the most famous?
Popular thuja varieties are Brabant, Smaragd, Martin, Columna, Teddy, Aurescens, Danika, Rheingold and Tiny Tim. These differ in growth, purpose and color and are suitable for hedges, individual shrubs, container or topiary plantings.
How many species of Thuja are there?
How many Thuja species there actually are is hardly manageable. New varieties are constantly being added through new breeding.
A number of arborvitae varieties are very commonly planted, such as Brabant and Smaragd.
When making a selection, the gardener should take into account that not every species is suitable for every purpose. While some varieties are very fast-growing and will soon form an opaque hedge, other species are more suitable for care as a single tree or topiary.
A small overview of known Thuja species
| Variety name | color | Growth/year | suitable for | Special features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thuja occidentalis Brabant | green | 30 – 40 cm | Hedge | robust and fast growing |
| Thuja occidentalis Smaragd | emerald-green | 20cm | Single bush | larger planting distance |
| Thuja plicata Martin | matte green | up to 40 cm | Hedge | very fast growing |
| Thuja occidentalis Columna | dark green | up to 20 cm | Hedge | gets very dense |
| Thuja occidentalis Teddy | dark green | up to 20 cm | Bucket, topiary | soft needles |
| Thuja plica Aurescens | yellowgreen | up to 40 cm | Single bush | gets very high |
| Thuja occidentalis Danika | teal | remains short | Ball tree | bronze in winter |
| Thuja occidentalis Rheingold | gold colored | up to 10 cm | potted plant | Colors vary |
| Thuja occidentalis Tiny Tim | light green | remains short | Ball tree | doesn't need a cut |
Particularly fast-growing species
The particularly fast-growing varieties include Thuja Brabant, Thuja plica Martin and Thuja plica Aurescens. They differ in the color of the foliage.
If you are unsure about the right Thuja variety, seek advice from an expert and talk to your garden neighbors.
Tree of life in a pot or as a topiary
Some varieties of the tree of life grow very slowly or have certain requirements for the soil. If you want to care for a tree of life in a pot or as a topiary, you should use small, slow-growing species.
Small varieties like Danika or Tiny Tim naturally grow in a spherical shape. They hardly develop any outstanding shoots and therefore need little or no cutting.
Accelerating growth
The growth of the various species can only be accelerated slightly. When planting as a hedge or solitary, you should give the tree of life a favorable location in the sun or partial shade.
Make sure that the thuja is not watered too much or too little, and do not over-fertilize the tree of life.
Tip
Even though Thuja Smaragd is often offered and planted as a hedge plant, it is not the ideal choice for a hedge. It must be planted at a greater distance from one another and grows comparatively slowly.