Arborvitae R-4 Downtown

Arborvitae R-4 Downtown What a great bumper sticker slogan we could make from this very true statement, "Arborvitae Are For Downtown!" Indeed, Arborvitae are evergreen shrubs and trees especially well suited for urban areas where low maintenance and durability are needed most. Many cultivars of Arborvitae are available with forms such as ball-like globed shapes, tall and thin columnar shapes, or narrow pyramidal shapes. Aren't these descriptions ideal for planting alongside buildings near sidewalks and streets, and to beautify entrance doorways, "decorating with year 'round greenery?" These smaller arborvitae can even be grown in containers like barrels and pots, placed where they add beauty, having the added advantage that they can be moved. Other forms of Arborvitae which are usually found in the larger sizes are useful for planting in rows so when they are mature they will create sun and wind blocking privacy screens or "buffers." Doesn't a line of tall, thin evergreen trees give benefits far beyond using a rusting chain link fence to mark off property boundaries, or block off storage piles and garbage dumpsters? Just think about how, on a blustery winter's day, a line of Arborvitae can cut down the effects of the gusts of wind on us as we walk by, and on a blazing hot summer's day, the effects of the sun can be cut down as we walk by in shade. Why are Arborvitae considered so durable and "low maintenance" for urban usage? Well, most Arborvitae only require at least partial sun to grow, though they will thrive in full size sun. That's pretty good for a start, right? A mere 3 hours per day of direct sunlight is necessary even for the non-demanding Arborvitae and that's not much. If your downtown site is surrounded by tall walls very close, Arborvitae can't be used. Dense shade conditions do have to be avoided. No plant can grow in total shadow anyway. As for the soil, though moist, well drained, loam is best, healthy Arborvitae can grow in rocky clay. Low maintenance and durable Arborvitae are known for being drought resistant and insect, pest and disease resistant too. How about that? Bagworms are the single worst problem for "arbs," capable of completely defoliating every last needle leaf on the plant they infest. Yet, as bagworms don't travel downtown quite so often as commuters do, usually bagworms are found out in the countryside, Arborvitae again are ideal for downtown. Now, also make note, some cultivars of Arborvitae may require some pruning. They have multiple leaders which can prove to be a detraction for the plant in confined spaces, making a little pruning a requirement. But just one occasional cut where you see multiple leaders will be all that is required, a simple remedy. And, excessive salt spray is not good for any landscape plant, but some species of Arborvitae are "hypersensitive." If your downtown site is very close to the curb on a street where salt is regularly used, and there's a great deal of snowfall every year, you can't use Arborvitae to "decorate with greenery." It is difficult to suggest what would be a good choice for planting on a busy street in downtown Buffalo, New York, which averages about 200 inches of snow in its long winters. An advantage when choosing a plant for tight downtown locations, places where there are likely height constraints from overhangs, is that the forms Arborvitae take covers the complete size range from small, to medium, to large, depending on the cultivar. Some will reach just 1 foot in height, some Arborvitae can reach up to 80 feet. At http://www.highlandhillfarm.com , http://www.zone5trees.com , and http://www.seedlingsrus.com ,our most popular Arborvitae is the Emerald Green Thuja. By the way, many people prefer to spell the name Arbor Vitae, because the name is from Latin, "the tree" (arbor) "of life" (vita) (vitae when there's more than one). Ohhh... The Emerald Green Arborvita is bright light green in color, year 'round, and narrow in shape. It makes a distinctive and impressive natural fence. It is easy to plant, grow, and keep "in shape." The hardiness zones for the Green Giant Arborvita are 5 to 8, where minimum wintertime temperatures get as low as 20 degrees below zero to 20 degrees above zero. That's -20 to +20. The Emerald Green in ideal conditions can add up to 3 feet of height each and every year. Site requirements for the Emerald Green Arborvita are what we've described above, partial shade to full sun, in most any soil. When young, protection from wind is necessary, but using stakes to add support is all that is necessary for exceptionally windy locations. The texture of the Emerald Green reddish brown bark is fine, cinnamon red when the tree is young, covering what will becomes a strong wood when the tree is mature. The Emerald Green Arborvitae species have conical forms narrow to broadly pyramidal (your choice!)reaching heights from 50 to 80 feet, with widths from 15 to 20 feet. The leaves makes a rich green graceful foliage. The Emerald Green Giant's flowers/fruit are pretty half-inch erect female cones, pretty to look at too. Mature Emerald Green Arborvitae cast dense shade. If bagworms and salt spray are kept off this tree it should outlive even your children. The Hetz Midget Arborvita is a dwarf globe variety, at the otgher end of the spectrum from the Emerald Green Giant. This is a good choice along walkways as well as in gardens. It's a tough plant that's easy to "install," and easy to pay for with its low cost. The Hetz Midget will maintain a nice green color throughout the winter and handle snow piling on top of it too. We carry these plants in 2 and 3 gallon pots. Prices range from about 15 to 30 dollars depending on the plant size and the quantity ordered. The Rheingold Arborvita is another small globe shaped variety which is a little larger than the Hetz Midget. It has a bronze winter color and a golden green cast to it in summer. It's "purty fer shure." "Tiny Tim" is an American Arborvita that grows in hardiness zones 2 through 7, where minimum wintertime temperatures can go from 10 degrees to as low as 50 degrees below zero. Minus 50 degrees, Brrrr. In zone 7, summertime high temperature can reach over 100 degrees. This little Juniper ground cover plant of the Cupressacae Family will grow from just a half a foot to a foot tall and spread as much as a foot and a half wide. (Just who was Tiny Tim? He was a popular entertainer/singer right about the same time Petula Clark was singing "Downtown" in the 1960's. How appropriate here for an American Arborvita.) Now, when you get to the nursery or garden center where you will buy your Arborvitae, pick out the healthiest, most robust plants that have no evidence of disease or insect damage. Of course, you're thinking, but more than that, the potting medium should should also be thoroughly inspected. Most of us don't ordinarily remember to do that. The potting medium should be moist, a rich, dark, loose, "loamy" soil. Look for roots that are growing from the drainage holes or circling the top of the pot or burlap ball and avoid those plants. Many people choose to buy "arbs" from a mail order company. This is perfectly acceptable. However, realize that most woody plants purchased from mail order catalogs will be shipped "dormant and bare rooted," that is, without any soil attached to the root system. Such plants may be smaller in size because of the expense of shipping. It is important to get such plant material immediately into soil upon arrival. Generally, it is best to purchase one-year-old material from mail order companies since this plant material is more vigorous and will transplant better. Be advised, the larger plants which are offered often comprise the less vigorous plants held over from previous years to get bigger and stronger. Most large sized arbs are balled and burlaped. Don't buy any arbs more than 3 feet tall that are bare rooted. Any plant larger than 3 feet tall (measured from the top down to the uppermost root, not the ground, should be balled and burlapped. Our main farm, the Highland Hill Farm, is located in a solid clay soil in southeastern Pennsylvania close to Doylestown, the county seat of Bucks County. We like plants that grow well in clay. All arborvita grow well enough, we raise over 15 diferent varieties for sale, but the Emerald Green Thuja, the Green Giant, is our favorite. When you stop in to our nursery we would like to show you our many variations of arborvitae. We'll take you into the fields and show you the plants. There are lots and lots of plants to see so don't expect to see them all in 10 minutes. If you call in advance it is appreciated so we can set aside time especially for you. If you are coming from a long distance let's make your drive truly worthwhile. You can also visit our websites at http://www.seedlingsrus.com , http://www.zone5trees.com , and http://www.highlandhillfarm.com .