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Thuja Holmstrup, also known as Thuja occidentalis Holmstrup, is a favorite ornamental perennial of the Coniferous family for many gardeners. This plant gained its popularity for a reason: the conifer is not picky about growing conditions, and its crown has an interesting conical shape that can decorate any garden or summer cottage.
Description of Holmstrup
Based on the description, the thuja western Holmstrup is an evergreen plant, similar to what can be seen in the photo. Although the height of adult specimens is 3 – 4 m, with a diameter of 1 – 1,5 m, these ornamental trees are characterized by low growth rates. To reach its maximum size, Thuja Holmstrup will need at least 10 – 12 years. The average age of this plant is approaching 200 years.
Like most conifers, throughout the year, thuja Holmstrup retains a dark green crown color, which is characterized by density and has a symmetrical conical shape that can be maintained even in the absence of regular decorative pruning. Strongly branched shoots are covered with soft scaly needles that do not fall off in winter. The root system of the plant is located in the upper layers of the soil and is compact.
Due to its excellent aesthetic qualities and unpretentious care, Holmstrup thuja is a favorite of many gardeners in the formation of exquisite landscape compositions.
The use of thuja Holmstrup in landscape design
The characteristics of the western Holmstrup thuja were highly appreciated by the masters of landscape design in many countries of the world. This plant equally brightly manifests itself in single and group plantings. In addition, dark green thuja can serve as an excellent backdrop for other ornamental crops.
Holmstrup thujas planted in a mansion are used for landscaping urban landscapes, as well as for decorating rockeries, alpine slides and lawns, as in the photo below.
A group of trees arranged in a row or forming a hedge, in turn, is great for creating natural fences that separate the functional areas of the garden. They are also used to mark the boundaries of the site, planting along the perimeter of the territory. Such placement, in addition to being decorative, has another goal – air purification, since the Holmstrup thuja traps exhaust and heavy metals. For the same reason, it is located near industrial buildings and highways.
A few more photos with examples of the use of thuja Holmstrup in landscape design:
Features of reproduction of the western thuja Holmstrup
Another advantage of this plant is resistance to external conditions and fast survival. According to reviews, thuja Holmstrup can be bred without much effort even at home. The easiest way to do this is by cutting the plant. Some gardeners practice propagating thuja Holmstrup with seeds, but in this case the chance that the traits of the variety will remain is very low.
Rules of landing
Although Thuja Holmstrup is not a whimsical plant, to ensure healthy growth and maintain its decorative characteristics, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the basic rules of planting.
Recommended dates
The optimal time for planting thuja Holmstrup is considered to be the middle of spring, when the probability of return frosts is minimal. Although this plant boasts a fairly high frost resistance, it should be planted in open ground no earlier than the end of April, so that the soil has time to warm up and the root system is not damaged. Dry warm autumn is also suitable for planting thuja, but in this case, the seedlings must be covered for the winter.
Site selection and soil preparation
The place for planting the thuja of the western Houmstrup variety should also be chosen with all care. It grows especially well in sun-drenched places that do not blow drafts, but the culture also feels quite good in slightly shaded spaces. Too strong a shadow leads to the fact that the thuja needles begin to turn pale, and the crown loses its density. The lack of sun also affects the health of the plant: its immunity weakens, and the tree becomes more susceptible to fungal diseases.
It is desirable to select soils for thuja Holmstrup that are light and loose, for example, sandy loam or turf in combination with peat and sand. In dense soil, drainage from 15 to 20 cm thick should be used to prevent stagnant water and rotting of the roots.
Landing algorithm
Landing thuja western Holmstrup is carried out, guided by the following description:
- Before planting, a soil mixture is prepared for the plant from sand, low-lying peat and leaf soil in proportions of 1: 1: 2.
- The landing pit is made somewhat larger than the root part of the Holstrup thuja. Its approximate size should be 80 × 80 cm.
- It will not be superfluous to place a drainage layer of broken brick or rubble in the recess.
- For intensive growth, nitrogen-phosphorus top dressing is introduced into the soil at the bottom of the planting pit.
- Before planting, the seedling is generously watered.
- If the seedling has a closed root system, i.e., an earthen clod around the roots is preserved, it is placed in the seat, and then sprinkled with soil mixture so that the root neck is near the surface, and the soil around the plant is compacted.
- If the young thuja has an open root system, in the center of the pit, an elevation is first prepared from the ground, and then a tree is placed on it, carefully straightening the roots. At the end of the procedure, the soil is compacted, while not falling asleep the root collar.
After planting, the plant is abundantly saturated with water, and the soil within the near-trunk circle is mulched with sawdust, peat or mowed grass.
Growing and care rules
Young trees of Tui Holmstrup need periodic weeding and loosening. When carrying out these procedures, it is worth remembering that the root system of such conifers is located close to the soil surface, and therefore, when digging the soil deeper than 10 cm, it can be accidentally injured.
The rest of the care when growing these plants includes timely watering, regular feeding and pruning.
Watering Schedule
The drought resistance of the western Holmstrup thuja allows it to manage for a long time with a small amount of water, but a long-term lack of liquid negatively affects the appearance of the plant. In order for the thuja to please the eye all year round, it is necessary to water it at least 1 – 2 times a week, allocating 10 liters of water per 1 tree. During the drought period, watering is increased to 20 liters – 3 times a week.
Along with watering, it is possible to carry out sprinkling plants 1 – 2 times a week. Such a procedure will not only refresh the crown of the conifer, but will also favorably affect its growth. But it should be borne in mind that it is carried out only on healthy thujas. Trees infected with fungal infections are not recommended to be moistened in this way.
Additional fertilizing
Thuja Holmstrup is fertilized once a year, usually in spring, in April – May. As a top dressing, universal mineral complexes for conifers are used, such as Kemira-Universal or nitroammophoska, while consuming 50-60 g of the composition per 1 sq. m of territory.
Trimming
To maintain the external attractiveness of the thuja Holmstrup, it must be pruned from time to time. Sanitary shearing, designed to remove dry and damaged branches, can be carried out every year after the end of winter. Decorative pruning is not required so often: it is enough to trim the plant once every 1 to 2 years.
A hedge from the western thuja Holmstrup, such as in the photo above, is formed by cutting the shoots by a third. In the future, to maintain shape, it is leveled from 3 to 5 times a year.
Preparation for winter
Being plants of the third and fourth zones of frost resistance, adult specimens of the Holmstrup variety thuja can easily tolerate even severe frosts down to -35 ° C, therefore, they do not need shelter in central Our Country.
At the same time, young trees do not have such winter hardiness, therefore, in the first couple of winters after planting, they must be protected from frost with the help of covering material. For this purpose, agrofiber or burlap is useful, with which the crown of plants is wrapped, leaving a small space between the material and the needles for air circulation. Additionally, you can mulch the trunk circle of the thuja with spruce branches: this will save it from waterlogging during snowmelt and protect it from rodents.
With the advent of spring, as soon as the snow melts and the frosts end, the shelter from the Holmstrup thuja is removed. Do it in cloudy weather, and not immediately. First, the agrofibre is raised by 1/3 and the plant is left in this form for 5-7 days so that it adapts. After the specified time, the protective material is removed completely.
Pests and diseases
Although thuja Holmstrup is resistant to most diseases, it is sometimes attacked by certain insects that damage the needles of the plant. These include thuja aphid and false scale insects.
Due to their activity, the crown of the tree acquires a yellowish tint and falls off. Various insecticides have proven themselves against these pests, with which it is necessary to treat the plant twice, maintaining a gap of 7 to 10 days between procedures.
Often, the larvae of May beetles encroach on the root system of young trees of the Holstrup thuja. Having found this insect on the site, do not underestimate the danger that it can bring: even one larva of the May beetle can destroy a conifer seedling in 24 hours. You can save plants from this scourge by watering it with a solution based on Imidacloprid.
As for diseases, with proper care, they do not threaten Holmstrup thuja trees. However, if the watering schedule has been violated, thuja Holmstrup varieties can be affected by fungi, due to which the branches of the plant will dry out. Regular watering and three or four times the treatment of trees with compositions containing copper will help correct the situation. Such treatments are carried out every 2 weeks until the condition of the thuja Holmstrup returns to normal.
Conclusion
Thuja Holmstrup definitely deserves the attention that landscape designers and growers give her. It is beautiful, compact and looks very impressive in a variety of plant compositions. And most importantly, even novice gardeners can grow it on their site.