Arbor vitae. Oriental biota (Biota orientalis L.) Thuja oriental book description of cones

Thuja Aurea Nana- one of the most popular dwarf varieties coniferous shrubs with yellow needles. This slow-growing evergreen plant is called the “tree of life” due to its longevity. It was once considered a symbol of Beijing, but today it has spread widely throughout almost the entire world.

There are two varieties of Aurea Nana - eastern and western. By by and large they are not much different. But thuja Aurea Nana occidentalis adapts better to development in partial shade, while thuja Aurea Nana eastern prefers open sun.

General description

Thuja Aurea Nana is a beautiful evergreen plant with a dense, oblong-shaped crown. The branches are branched and golden. In winter, the needles become even more beautiful - a bright bronze hue. Young shoots are arranged in two rows. In the fourth year they become rounder and darker.

The maximum height of an adult shrub is 1.5 m, crown diameter is 0.7 m. Thuja grows slowly. The annual growth does not exceed 5 cm. Thuja Aurea Nana tolerates low temperatures well and quickly adapts to difficult urban conditions.

It is better to choose for planting sunny places with light shading. The soil should be fresh, moist, drained and slightly acidic. Lack of light changes the color of the golden needles - they turn green. If the seedling grew in a container and you decide to replant it, then the depth of the planting hole should be 1.5 times greater than the plastic tank.

To form a drainage layer, gravel or expanded clay is used. Optimal thickness layer - 20 cm. The hole is filled with turf and peat, mixed in a 1:1 ratio. To ensure that the thuja quickly takes root and grows better, add mineral fertilizer to the hole. When planting, pay attention to the fact that the root neck should be at ground level. After planting, the bush is watered abundantly, and the soil is mulched with peat or tree bark.

Plant care rules

In the first year after planting, thuja Aurea Nana especially needs watering. The bushes are watered at least 2 times a week. Then once a week will be enough. The exception is hot summer days. Carefully check that the soil is not dry; spray the needles with water from a spray bottle. Mulching with wood chips or pine bark will help reduce moisture evaporation.

In April-May, the bushes are fed with nitroammophos (30 grams/square meter), and in October potassium supplements are added. Thuja Aurea Nana tolerates frost well, but young plantings must be protected with covering material. The spring sun is destructive for delicate needles - cover them with agrofibre.

Sanitary pruning is carried out annually - in the spring. There is no special need for form-building, because the crown acquires a beautiful egg-shaped crown without human intervention.

Thuja Aurea Nana in landscape compositions

Thuja Aurea Nana is actively used in landscaping gardens and summer cottages. Ideal for small rocky gardens, alpine slides, mixborders and flower beds. The compact plant can be used to decorate balconies, roofs and terraces.

A hedge formed from miniature shrubs planted close to each other will become the most noticeable element of the site. This variety is no less remarkable in its composition landscape compositions of low trees and shrubs with bright textured foliage.

Video: Review of the eastern thuja Aurea Nana

Description

Thuja orientalis (Thuja orientalis) Aurea Nana) - a very beautiful dwarf evergreen tree with a well-defined main trunk and a large number lateral branches, the shape of the crown is ovoid. It grows slowly. Young annual and biennial shoots are flat, green, and arranged in two rows. In the third year they become round and brown. The shoots are densely spaced. The size after 10 years reaches a height of 0.7 m. The needles are scale-like, yellow-green, broadly rhombic, tightly pressed to the stem.

Planting and caring for thuja occidentalis Aurea Nana

For planting thuja, choose sunny places. Although the plant tolerates shade, the plant develops worse and the crown becomes less attractive. The soil is light (peaty, dry and clayey sandy loam). When planting in heavier soil, a drainage layer of at least 15 cm thick is required at the bottom of the planting hole. The planting hole is dug to the size of the plant clod, with a depth of 60 to 80 cm. The soil mixture can be prepared in advance. A mixture consisting of sand, peat and leaf (turf) soil in a ratio of 1:1:2 is optimal. The acidity level for thuja is desirable within the range of 4.5-6.0 pH (see). For better growth, add nitroammophoska (at mature plant up to 100 g). It must be remembered that the root collar should be at ground level.

Planting and caring for thuja eastern Aurea Nana

For planting thuja, choose sunny places. Although the plant tolerates shade, the plant develops worse and the crown becomes less attractive. The soil is light (peaty, dry and clayey sandy loam). When planting in heavier soil, a drainage layer of at least 15 cm thick is required at the bottom of the planting hole. The planting hole is dug to the size of the plant clod, with a depth of 60 to 80 cm. The soil mixture can be prepared in advance. A mixture consisting of sand, peat and leaf (turf) soil in a ratio of 1:1:2 is optimal. The acidity level for thuja is desirable within the range of 4.5-6 pH (see). For better growth, add nitroammophoska (up to 100 g per adult plant). It must be remembered that the root collar should be at ground level.

After planting, thuja must be watered regularly, about once a week with one bucket of water per adult plant. If planting was carried out during a hot, dry period, then the frequency of watering must be increased. Thuja is a plant that evaporates a lot of moisture, so it loves watering and sprinkling and responds well to it.

Fertilizing is usually carried out in the spring; any complex fertilizers(“Kemira-Universal”, etc.), 50-60 g per m 2.

When the growing season begins, loosen the soil to a shallow depth (10 cm), so the thuja has a shallow root system, and mulch (compost, peat, bark, etc.)

The adult plant tolerates winter frosts well. However, thujas suffer from sunburn in the spring. Therefore, they need to be covered, especially young plants (see). In winter, the crown is tied tightly with tape to prevent damage to the crown from wet snow. In spring, damaged dry shoots are removed and sanitary pruning is carried out (see).

The evergreen thuja tree has many varieties, which vary in size, crown shape, and needle color. Depending on the type, thujas are used as an independent element garden design or addition to flower beds, alpine slides, rockeries. Thujas are unpretentious and unique in their own way - we will look at the types and varieties with photos of the most common coniferous representatives. In Russia, Western varieties have received special recognition from gardeners. They can have the appearance of a lush shrub or tree with a columnar, pyramidal, spherical or spherical crown; so-called weeping thujas are also found.

Types of thuja occidentalis, what varieties are there

One of the most favorite and widespread varieties of these conifers is the thuja occidentalis Smaragd. This majestic tree looks like a cypress and grows up to 5 meters high. No matter what time of year it is, its needles have a constant emerald hue. Smaragd is hardy, frost-resistant, undemanding to the type of soil, but especially loves loam or calcareous soils. It prefers sunlit places or, in extreme cases, partial shade. This species is characterized by slow growth (up to 10 cm per year), and is optimally suited for decorating a variety of hedges.

This variety has a remarkable variety, which is also loved by summer residents, owners adjacent areas– Golden Smaragd thuja. It got its name due to the golden hue of the branches, which does not change throughout the year. An adult tree reaches 2 meters in height, has a cone-shaped crown with dense, short shoots. This representative of conifers loves fertile soil, which should be well-moistened and drained. Doesn’t like gas pollution, dirty air of the city, so a dacha or suburban area will become suitable growing conditions for it. Ideal place For planting such thuja, slightly acidic loams and sunlit areas are suitable. Smaragd is adapted to the Russian climate and is hardy.

Golden Smaragd, photo:

This variety requires careful loosening of the soil, as it has a superficial root system that can be easily damaged. The digging depth should not exceed 10 cm; for the same reason, with the onset of hot summer, it is advisable to mulch the ground near the trees to slow down the evaporation of moisture. The thickness of the mulch layer should be approximately 8-10 cm.

Description of the variety: Thuja western Danica is a spherical shrub, which is called dwarf because of its small size. The height of this bush reaches about half a meter, width - 1 meter. It is characterized by the presence of dense soft needles and shoots growing upward. Growth is slow, no more than 5 cm per year. Thanks to your compact size, unpretentiousness, external decorativeness Danika fits perfectly into any design or composition of the garden. The crown of the bush lends itself well to shaping and trimming. Green hedges and borders are an excellent option for this dwarf species. This conifer is also called spherical.

Globular thuja Danika, photo:

Another representative of the dwarf spherical Danica is the Aurea variety, which is distinguished by a more yellowish tint of needles. The requirements for conditions of detention and the characteristics of both types are similar. These shrubs love fertile soil, fresh water, regular moisture, and irrigation of the crown when it’s hot. They do not require haircuts, are easy to shape, and are frost-resistant. It should be taken into account that in the first years of life, the bushes need to be insulated for the winter (mulching, covering with appropriate material), and also protected from sunburn early spring. In 2-3 years the thuja will get used to the new place.

Aurea Danika - globular thuja, photo:

Among the varieties of these coniferous crops there are also giants that differ rapid growth, can reach a height of up to 20 meters. In central Russia, this variety most often grows up to 2-3 meters, less often - up to 5. Thuja West Brabant every year it adds about 30-40 cm in height, the width of the columnar crown also does not stand still - it is approximately 10-15 cm of growth. This variety does not change the color of its needles with changing seasons; it has rich green branches, sometimes with golden tips.

This is an unpretentious frost-resistant variety that gets along well in any type of soil, but fertile soil is more preferable for it. It tolerates both light and excessive watering. It blooms in April-May, lends itself well to pruning and crown formation. Also popular is a relatively new variety of the Brabant-Golden variety, which demonstrates the golden color of the needles while maintaining all the basic qualities.

Brabant thuja, photo:

Eastern thujas - Aurea Nana, Biota - photo, description

There are approximately 60 varieties of eastern thuja species. Despite the fact that they are more demanding than their western counterparts, under the right conditions these trees can become a real decoration of the site. All varieties of oriental thuja have differences in the color of needles, bark, crown shape, shoots, and other characteristics.

They all love the sun, a lot of light. If you plant the oriental thuja in a shaded place, its crown will not develop properly, which will subsequently affect its decorative appearance. Such trees are excellent for creating living barriers from the wind and designing rocky gardens. Like Western varieties, they come in tall, upright, dwarf varieties (for example, Aurea Nana). Species eastern thuja not winter-hardy.

Thuja orientalis, photo:

Dwarf Aurea Nana, photo:

Oriental thuja Biota, photo:

Most eastern representatives of conifers are heat-resistant, tolerate drought well, and feel normal in areas with close-lying groundwater, rocky soils.

Fluffy green thuja, a species whose varieties may be similar, is actually unique in each of its species. The color of the needles can be golden yellow, rich green or even blue. The size, height, shape, structure of branches, their direction can also be very diverse.

Choose for yourself which thuja you like best, the types and varieties with photos were presented above.

These are the most popular representatives of the cypress family, which are chosen by gardeners, owners of dachas, and country houses. With proper care it is decorative, useful tree will decorate your territory and delight the eye for many years.

The page contains photos of the oriental thuja and its varieties. You can read the description, learn the principles of planting and care.

This plant belongs to the Cypress family and is the only representative of the Planobranch genus. The full biological name of the plant is the oriental thuja or oriental biota, although previously the plant was actually called the oriental thuja and was classified as one of the thuja species. Hence the firmly established popular name “thuja orientalis”, although now it is unscientific, but is still actively used, not only in everyday life, but also in specialized catalogs and publications. According to modern experts, the eastern biota is only vaguely similar to thuja, despite the presence of similar leaves in the form of scales. Biologists note that the eastern flat branch has much greater similarities with the microbiota of juniper and cypress.

China is considered to be its homeland, where the plant grows naturally in the mountains in the north of the country. In its natural habitat it occurs singly, in small groups or in mixed forests on poor soils, in a moderately warm climate. From these places the plant spread to neighboring regions and was later introduced to Europe. Also found in Central Asia, the Caucasus, south western Ukraine, in Crimea.

There are known old specimens of the eastern flat branch, about 1000 years old, which have become symbols of Beijing. In the Buddhist religion of China, the eastern biota is also symbolized with energy and long life.

Description of the oriental thuja in nature. Trees grow up to 15 - 18 m, in cultivation much lower, up to 8 - 10 m; often have numerous branches extending from the very base of the trunk. The crown of the plant is ovoid. Meet bush forms when growing in unfavorable conditions. The shoots are flat, located parallel to each other, forming a system of plates radially located in relation to the trunk. The shoots are formed by dark green scales. Planar scales up to 1 mm long, ovoid-rhombic in shape, contain a longitudinally grooved gland. The lateral leaves are keeled. The bark is thin, red-brown. The cones are 10 - 15 mm long, bluish-green in color before maturity, located at the tips of some branches and have characteristic hooked projections. Seed ripening time: October - November.

Frost resistance of thuja orientalis. The plant needs a moderately warm climate. It has less frost resistance than thuja occidentalis and thuja foldata. Some ornamental varieties tolerate winter temperature to approximately -23 C°, and some to -17 C°. In conditions middle zone, plants need to be covered for the winter and planted in protected places, as they often freeze in unfavorable winters.

The plant is light-loving, drought-resistant, undemanding to soils, and tolerates some salinity. Tolerates haircuts well.

Caring for thuja orientalis in the room. It turns out that the eastern biota is a fairly heat-loving coniferous plant and therefore is considered to tolerate room conditions. However, growing thuja of any kind at home is associated with many difficulties associated with the physiology of coniferous plants, which must grow in open ground, where there is wind, rain, optimal air humidity and, of course, a period of winter dormancy with low ambient temperatures. Therefore, experts do not recommend growing thuja in a room, but at least on a balcony or cold veranda. In the end, you can always transplant your home thuja into open ground.

The principle of growing thuja orientalis at home is absolutely identical to the growth of all coniferous plants grown in the room. It is not for nothing that all conifers are united into one of the divisions of the diverse plant kingdom and have a number of their own characteristics. One of the features is their natural habitat, represented mainly by temperate and cold zones, while indoor flowers that are familiar to everyone are native to warm zones, tropics and subtropics, so they feel much better in the room.

The basic principles of caring for thuja in a room are similar to the principles of caring for all indoor conifers(only expert advice taken from different sources and TV shows:

1. Transplantation (landing). house plant should be in a permanent pot, but not in the shipping container you purchased it in. For a short plant whose height is 20 - 25 cm, a pot diameter of 15 cm is sufficient. The pot must have drainage hole. When replanting a thuja from a container into a pot, remember that the lump of earth should not be disturbed during this process, that is, before replanting, the soil with the plant must be watered so that it holds its shape well. During the transplantation process, there is no need to shake the extracted earthen lump from the edges or touch the roots of the plant in any way. They contain the mycorrhizal fungus, which not only helps in growth, but also protects against diseases. In general, transplanting domestic thuja would be more correctly called transshipment. Further transplantation of indoor thuja should be carried out no more than once every 2 - 3 years. Choose thuja varieties that grow more slowly.

Root collar height. The plant needs to be buried to the same level as it was used to growing before transplanting.

Drainage in the pot. A layer of crushed stone or expanded clay must be placed at the bottom of the pot to improve water outflow; the layer thickness is about 2 cm.

Additional tricks when transplanting. To protect against diseases, you can put a few tablets on the drainage layer activated carbon or a small layer of charcoal.

2. Use only special soil for conifers, which should be light and nutritious. It is best to purchase special soil for coniferous plants in the store. As a last resort, you can make your own soil mixture. Here is the one recommended by experts soil mixture for conifers: mix equal parts heather or coniferous soil(decomposition of pine litter) + leaf soil + washed coarse sand.

3. Location. You should not choose a bright sunny location for thuja growing in the room. North and northeast windows are best suited. The crown of conifers thickens better in those places that receive more light, so the plant must be periodically turned towards the window different sides so that the plant does not become “one-sided”.

4. In winter, you must provide thuja orientalis with a lower air temperature within the range of +6 - +10 C°. Since houseplant is in a pot or tub, it root system limited and more prone to freezing, so it is recommended to keep it in winter at a temperature not lower than 0 C°. And this despite the fact that ground thujas are not afraid of frost. Winter period for thuja this is a period of rest. At this time it can be placed on the veranda, on glassed balcony and, as a last resort, in the cellar (without shelter).

5. Watering and irrigation of needles. Watering and air humidity are perhaps the most important indicators to which everyone is very sensitive. conifers, including thuja.

The volume of watering of indoor thuja is different in winter and summer. An important point: watering and irrigation is done only with soft, settled water at room temperature. In the summer, thuja growing in a room necessarily needs daily watering and irrigation of the needles. As for watering, here you should adhere to the “golden mean”: conifers do not like excess water, but the soil in the pot should never be dry, but rather optimally moistened. In principle, the soil should not dry out at any time of the year. In winter, watering is not daily and its frequency largely depends on the storage conditions of the plant. The main rule of winter watering is to maintain the soil in a constant moderately moist state, that is, moderate watering as the soil dries out. In winter, irrigation of needles is carried out depending on its appearance. If the needles on the branches have dried out, then it’s time to spray the crown.

But in spring and summer, if the leaves - scales of the thuja have died or turned yellow, then you can additionally spray the crown with a growth stimulator. For example, zircon. This way your growth will resume and the crown of the thuja will thicken again. However, spraying the crown with a growth stimulator is not used in the autumn-winter period.

6. Systematic ventilation premises during the warm season.

7. Formation and removal of yellowed branches. For indoor thuja, you can use formative pinching of shoots or cutting along with ground plants. Yellowed shoots should always be removed; they are trimmed with scissors or pruning shears.

8. Feeding. I noticed that thuja does not really like to grow in a pot, where its growth is worse compared to ground plants, even if the potted ones are constantly on outdoors. If container plants are not fed, they grow poorly and become dense. And what can we say about potted indoor thuja? For a good appearance, it definitely needs mineral supplements. This should be a special fertilizer for conifers. Mineral fertilizers for conifers are different, and they also come in slow-acting granules. In any case, you should feed homemade thuja only in the spring and summer, and it is usually recommended to do this no more than once a month. Just follow the instructions for the fertilizer you purchased.

Varieties of oriental thuja (biota, flat branch). Frost resistance of plants is not too high (see above). Therefore, for outdoor cultivation in cold frosty regions, it is important to purchase zoned plants from specialized nurseries located nearby. Almost all varieties of eastern biota have low requirements for soil moisture and composition. The plant is quite shade-tolerant, but planting in the shade is not recommended, as the crown will become sparse. For green-colored varieties, choose a place in the sun or partial shade, for variegated varieties - only sunny, otherwise their bright color will fade.

Aurea Nana (Aurea Nana)(see photo) – golden-yellow ovoid shrub with a slow growth rate. In the first 10 years of life, the height is about 70 cm. The crown is dense.

Franky Boy(see photo) - an undemanding variety with a cone-shaped, slightly ovoid crown shape. It grows slowly. It has characteristic cord-like shoots of golden color. yellow. A ten-year-old specimen has a height of 60 cm and a width of 80 cm. To maintain its appearance, experts advise trimming last year’s shoots.

Justinka(see photo) - a dwarf columnar plant. It is about 1 m tall at 10 years of age. It has a dense crown, dark green in color.

Sieboldii (Siboldi) (see photo) - an ovoid dwarf up to 1 m tall at 10 years. It has vertical, regularly spaced shoots. IN autumn period, the color of the plant becomes golden yellow. The plant should be planted in a protected location.

Thuja, the planting and care of which is of interest to many owners of country houses, does not come from our region; it was brought from East Asia and America. The plant is quite unpretentious, so it has taken root well in more northern latitudes.

The name "thuja" has Greek origin. When its branches are burned, such a pleasant aroma is felt that it was called “incense.”

The cypress family, to which thuja belongs, includes both shrubs and trees. Evergreen thujas do not have needles; their needles are made up of particles that fit well together. There are known plants that have lived for more than 1000 years.

In Russia, the height of thuja specimens does not reach more than 10-11 m, while in their native lands it often reaches 20 m. There are many varieties of thuja that exist today. In our climate, the western thuja develops best; it tolerates cold well and is generally not whimsical.

The development of the plant largely depends on the soil and planting site, although thuja will grow on any substrate. The crowns can be trimmed, it will only be useful. Curly pruning of a pyramidal or spiral shape, spherical or in the form of a column, looks good on thuja bushes.

From different varieties This plant is used to make hedges and alleys, and to decorate gardens and plots.

When choosing planting options, you should evaluate the characteristics of each type and shape to decide which one will be optimal for your conditions. Imagine in advance what the thuja will look like; planting and caring for it will then be easier.

We list several species of this evergreen plant known in our time:

• thuja occidentalis;
• arbor vitae;
• thuja japonica;
• Korean thuja;
• Thuja foldata.

The western variety of thuja (Thúja occidentális) is most common in Russia, and its homeland is North America. In the middle zone, only this species is usually planted.

Plants tolerate winter cold and plenty of shade well (although they develop better in culture with sufficient lighting). It loves moisture, but can also tolerate dryness; it does not require planting in a specific type of soil.

It has many decorative forms (more than 120).

Thuja occidentalis is very common in central Russia

The oriental thuja (Thuja orientalis), also called the oriental thuja, needs more care than the western one (the lighting and moisture regime must be adequate; it does not tolerate shade).

If all conditions are met, it will take root well in your area. Thuja, the planting and care of which turns out to be more difficult than the competitor species of the western thuja, loses in the choice.

IN landscape design Oriental flatweed is often used to form hedges and decorate rock gardens, in which they have been used for centuries, because this variety comes from China. 60 varieties of this plant allow you to choose best option to decorate your site.

In nature, Japanese thuja (Thuja standishii), according to its name, grows in the mountainous areas of Japan.

This variety can withstand severe frosts (up to -30 degrees) and otherwise this crop is unpretentious, it is only sensitive to air pollution, so do not plant it in the city, but rather save it for summer cottage.

Thuja japonica is a fairly unpretentious crop

Outside natural conditions Korean thuja, whose name in Latin sounds like Thuia koraiensis, takes the form of a creeping shrub, although in natural environment can grow up to 8 m.

It is quite picky about temperature and water conditions, so it is rarely planted in the middle zone.

The crown of the folded or giant thuja (Thuja plicata) is dense, pyramid- or cone-shaped. IN North America these plants can be incredibly tall, in accordance with their name (up to 40 m), but in Russia they are more often very decorative (up to 4 m).

The central thuja tolerates winters more difficult than the western one, although it is unpretentious to the soil.

Thuja gigantea

Landing

Although thuja is propagated by seeds and vegetatively, the first method is rarely used; cuttings allow the plant to take root better. They are obtained not by cutting, but by tearing them off.

You can propagate thuja by layering, but without maintaining the shape of the crown.

From the description of the varieties, it becomes clear which parts of the site should be chosen for planting thuja. Its roots are located close to the surface and can only tolerate light waterlogging, but with abundant spring rains, young plants often die.

Do not stop in places where there will be too much sun, otherwise the opposite situation will arise - the plant will be dehydrated, which will have a particularly negative effect on it with the onset of cold weather.

There are several rules under which a thuja (planting and caring for it must be done correctly) will take root on your site and will be its decoration:

1. Consider the gaps between seedlings (they should be at least half a meter and can sometimes reach 5 meters);
2. If you decide to do hedge, arrange 2 rows (at intervals of at least 0.7 m), if you want to lay out an alley, make sure that the distance between plants is approximately 4 m.
3. The optimal depth for planting thuja is 60-80 cm, more precise parameters depend on the type of soil and root system, but the root collar should ultimately be no higher than ground level.
4. For replanting, use the following soil composition: 2 parts turf/1 part peat/1 part sand with added fertilizer (nitroammophoska at the rate of 0.5 kg per seedling is ideal). Thuja will also grow on other soils; this mixture is used only when planting.
5. Clay soils must have a drainage layer no less than 15-20 cm deep.

Care

Thuja care includes the following procedures:

1. fertilizing and watering;
2. loosening and mulching;
3. crown trimming and pruning;
4. preparing the plant for the winter.