Thuja Filiformis is an original plant with filiform needles. North America is considered the homeland of this species. It was brought to Europe at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Tuika adapts well to urban environments and is often used in landscape design.
Thuja western Filiformis
Description of the plant
Western thuja Filiformis reaches a height of 1.5-2.5 m, in width - up to one and a half meters. The shape of the crown is conical. Due to hanging shoots and threadlike needles, the shrub sometimes resembles a willow, and sometimes looks like a fluffy haystack. Young needles are scaly, rich green; become brownish by winter.
This species is considered slow-growing. The tree grows no more than 2-7 cm annually.
The culture has high frost resistance, loves light, but it can grow in partial shade.
With strong shading, the color of the needles becomes less bright. Tuika has a long life span - up to 150-200 years.
Landing technology
The plant can be planted in early spring or fall. For planting, choose a well-lit or semi-shaded area with light neutral soil.
A hole is dug out depending on the size of the root system and the earthy coma. A drainage layer of 15-20 cm is placed inside (sand, crushed stone or expanded clay).
Garden soil is mixed with peat in a ratio of 2: 1, special fertilizers for conifers or nitroammofosk are added (no fertilizing is done during autumn planting).
In the center of the planting hole, a small mound is poured onto which the plant is installed. The roots are gently straightened down. If the tuika is planted out of the container, it is placed in a hole along with an earthen lump.
The seedling is covered with earth, leaving the root collar at ground level, watered abundantly (from 5 to 12 liters of water) and tamped tightly. After planting, the trunk circle is mulched with peat, sawdust or needles.
Care features
Thuja western needs regular watering and sprinkling. Water it weekly, using 5-6 liters of water for a young seedling, 10-12 for an adult. The needles are irrigated in the evening.
Top dressing is applied two times - at planting and at the end of summer. For the winter, the tree is mulched with a thick layer of peat (6-7 cm), and in the spring they dig the soil shallowly.
Young seedlings are covered from the wind, and in hot weather they are shaded to avoid burns. The haircut is carried out in the last days of May or at the beginning of June - during the period of slowing down the movement of juices.
Planting works are carried out in early spring
At the same time, sanitary pruning is done annually (damaged shoots, dry and diseased branches are removed), and shaping pruning is done at will, if necessary, give the crown a more regular shape.
Diseases and pests
The most common threat to western thuja is the scale insect and thuja aphid. Insect larvae can be peeled off by hand, and the leaves can be washed with a solution of laundry soap or medical alcohol (10 ml per 1 liter of water).
If folk remedies do not help, you need to use special insecticides like Karbofos.
In addition, fungal diseases can affect tuika. With high humidity, the development of phytophthora is possible - for prevention, plants are treated with Bordeaux liquid and copper-containing preparations. There are frequent cases of schute disease - in case of damage, trees are recommended to be sprayed with HOM and spilled with Fundazol.
In landscape design
Thanks to hanging shoots and original needles, Filiformis looks spectacular in landscape design. It looks most advantageous in well-lit areas or against the background of light walls. Tuika is most often found in Japanese-style gardens.
In addition, it is used in the creation of alpine slides, rocky and heather gardens. The plant feels great in containers, which allows you to use it for decorating facades, landscaping balconies and roofs.
Thuja is successfully combined with other coniferous species, as well as deciduous and herbaceous. It can be grown individually or in group compositions.
Gardeners reviews
According to the descriptions of gardeners, thuja successfully withstands frosts, however, young specimens should be covered for the winter with spruce branches and protected from the winds.
Caring for a tree is not particularly difficult, the most important thing is proper watering and regular sprinkling in dry weather. Many are grown without forming, carrying out only sanitary pruning in the spring. Even without this procedure, the lush branches of Filiformis look impressive and original.
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In snowy winters, the crown is sometimes damaged by sleet. To avoid deformation of the branches, it is advised to tighten them tightly with ribbons.
According to reviews, tuika adapts well to urban conditions, tolerates dust and smoke. For public landscaping, it is recommended to plant it in alleys and parks, but not next to the roadway.