Friday, 6 January 2017

Thuja Green Giants Make Quite A Statement

By Scott Bailey


Well, maybe not instant gratification, but as close as you can get in the real world of botany. Thuja Green Giants are probably the fastest growing ornamental evergreen you can buy. A hybrid developed by crossing an American thuja with an Asian variety, this gorgeous tree tapers gracefully to a majestic height, achieves a uniform width, and grows up to five feet a year after getting established. It is also renowned for being maintenance free.

These beautiful trees can be planted 5 to 6 feet apart in rows and will grow to a uniform height and width. The row will look both formal and impressive, making a wonderful privacy shield for a development home or a striking statement on an estate. A line of these majestic trees evenly spaced along a drive, forming a dense barrier, is truly a sight to see.

These vigorous evergreens need space to grow, although being in a row limits their height to about twenty feet and their width to about eight. As a single specimen, they can tower higher than a house and spread twenty-five feet around. They should be planted at least four feet from the property line or a fence, and not closer than fifteen feet to a septic field. Their roots will spread a little farther than the tree itself.

The thuja is a member of the cypress family; the name arborvitae may be more familiar. These hybrids combine the hardiness of a tree native to the northern half of the west coast United States and the speedy growth of an Asian variety. They are not attractive to deer or bugs - even bagworms - so never require spraying. Soil type does not seem to matter, and they don't need fertilizer to grow rapidly. Hardy and heat tolerant, they do need regular watering in very dry areas. Trees started from cuttings share the same gracefully tapered shape, height, and width.

A dense row of these trouble-free evergreens provides privacy and protection from the wind. It also is an effective noise barrier. If you live in a high traffic area and want to grow vegetables, a hedge like this will shield your yard from up to 90 percent of heavy metals from air pollution.

One of the parent trees for this hybrid is native to the Northeast United States. Giants are hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit and are not prone to damage from wind or snowfall. Growers can recommend the best planting time in Georgia. It's important to follow these recommendations, in order to give your trees the best start. There is a lot of information about choosing trees, sizes available, prices, and shipping costs. You will also find culture tips and customer testimonials.

By buying direct from a grower, you may find both the best price and the most vigorous trees. Ones sold in containers are advertised as better than ones with burlap-wrapped root balls or sold as 'bare root'. The size of the container caries from nursery to nursery; a six-foot tree can come in a one gallon pot or a seven gallon one. Buying multiple trees cuts the price down, and some sites offer free shipping.

Of course, you can save big if you find a local grower and can pick stock up. But it's true that you can have trees taller than you shipped to your door. In three or four years you can have a magnificent, green, living barrier to whatever you'd like to keep out.




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