Thuja western Woodwardii (Woodwardii): photo and description, reviews

The wild-growing western thuja is a tree with high frost resistance, so it is widely used by landscape designers to decorate the territory in regions with cold climatic conditions. Krupnomer formed the basis of a large number of varieties that differ in color and crown shape. Thuya Woodwardy is one of the first artificially created dwarf cultivars. A variety has been grown since the beginning of the XNUMXth century for the design of gardens, summer cottages, urban recreation areas, sanatoriums and children’s institutions.

Description of Tui Woodwardi

Thuya Woodwardy is a bright decorative representative of breeding varieties. It is an evergreen, perennial shrub with a dense rounded crown. The plant lends itself well to shearing, does not change color by autumn. Unpretentious, slow growing culture well resists winter frosts and spring temperature drops. The growth for 12 months is 4-6 cm. Up to 10 years, the height of the arborvitae is 0,5-0,7 m, the crown volume is 1 m. An adult plant at the age of 25 years can reach a height of up to 1,5 m.

Description and characteristics of thuja western Woodwardy, shown in the photo:

1. The spherical crown of the thuja is formed by a large number of thin, flexible light brown shoots. The lower and middle stems are longer than the branches of the upper part of the shrub, grow horizontally, branched at the top. Resin passages are absent.
2. Dense needles of saturated green color, scaly, tightly pressed to the shoots, length – 4 cm. The color of the needles of the current year and perennials is the same, by autumn the tone remains unchanged. The needles are hard, but not prickly. Once every three years, the upper part of the branches falls off, during the season the crown is completely restored.
3. There are few cones, they are light brown in color, consist of numerous thin scales, grow every year, give yellow seeds, equipped with thin, transparent lionfish.
4. The root system is mixed, the central part is deep, the lateral roots are thin, tightly intertwined, it is they who provide the thuja with nutrition, the central ones are responsible for the supply of moisture.
5. The dwarf form of the western thuja Woodwardy is a wind-resistant plant that does not respond to adverse environmental factors. The cultivar retains its decorative effect in partial shade; in the open area, the needles do not burn.

The use of thuja Woodwardy in landscape design

The variety of western thuja Woodwardy has been used by professional designers and amateur gardeners in ornamental gardening for many years. The perennial culture grows slowly, responds well to shearing, retains its desired shape during the season, and does not require correction. It harmoniously combines with almost all representatives of the flora, both with large-sized plants and flowering herbaceous shrubs. Thuja Woodwardy is included in compositions, planted in a group or as a single plant. Below are a few photos with the western Woodwardy thuja in combinations of landscape design.

In the form of a decorative hedge separating the zones of a personal plot.

Border option on the sides of the garden path.

Decoration of the central part of the lawn.

In a group composition with flowering plants and dwarf forms.

In mixborders.

Features of reproduction

According to the description of the variety, thuja western Woodwardy is propagated by seeds and vegetatively. The generative method is the most productive, but it will take more time, 3 years should pass from the moment the seeds are laid and the thuja seedling is placed on the site. The vegetative method will give results faster, but not all of the harvested material will be able to take root.

Recommendations for the reproduction of the western thuja Woodwardy:

1. Seeds. Planting material ripens in mid-autumn – this is the time for collecting cones. Seeds are sown immediately in containers or greenhouses. Containers are left on the site for the winter. Until spring, the seeds will undergo natural stratification, at the end of May young shoots will appear, the covering structure is removed, the plant is watered. For the winter, seedlings protect from frost. The next year, in mid-July, strong seedlings are selected and dive into separate small containers, covered for the winter. The following year, thuja seedlings are planted.
2. Cuttings. To propagate thuja western Woodwardy, the material is harvested from two-year-old shoots. Strong branches are taken, the middle will go to cuttings 25-30 cm long. Sections are treated with a 5% manganese solution and planted in fertile soil. During the summer, constantly watered, sheltered for the winter. The following year, the rooted material will form the first shoots; successfully overwintered thuja seedlings are planted in the spring on the site.
3. Layers. The work is carried out at the end of May, a furrow 6 cm deep is dug near the shrub, the lower stem is placed in it, fixed, covered with soil. The next year in the spring (after germination), plots are cut and planted.

Reproduction of thuja Woodwardy by layering is the fastest way, but less productive, because the survival rate of seedlings is low.

Planting and caring for thuja Woodwardy

Before planting, a self-grown seedling of the western thuja Woodwardy is carefully dug up and placed for 5 hours in a manganese solution, then for 3 hours in the Kornevin preparation, so as not to damage the root. Thuja seedlings grown in a generative way are removed from the container along with a lump, inspected, cut off if there are damaged or dry areas, disinfected and stimulated for better rooting. The acquired thuja seedling does not need preparatory measures; it is treated with an antifungal drug in the nursery. In the photo, Woodwardy’s thuja, grown independently from seeds, a seedling of a 3-year growing season is ready for transplantation.

Recommended dates

Adult thuja western Woodwardy is one of the most frost-resistant representatives of the species. Without freezing of the shoots and the root system, it tolerates a drop in temperature to -40 ⁰C, further vegetation is not affected by spring frosts. Young plants (up to 5 years) are less resistant to frost. There is a risk that the thuja planted in the fall will die. Autumn planting of Woodwardy thuja is only suitable for the South. In a temperate climate, spring work is carried out after the soil warms up to +7 ⁰C. Therefore, the timing of planting thuja for each locality will be different. In the cold climate zone, this is mid-May. In the South – the beginning of April or the end of September.

Site selection and soil preparation

The western thuja of the Woodwardy variety is a heat-loving plant with good drought resistance, but it does not tolerate waterlogging of the root ball, so the planting site is chosen open, without groundwater flowing. Lowlands, where excess moisture accumulates, are not suitable for planting. The shrub retains its decorative effect in partial shade, but it is better to place the thuja in a place open to sunlight.

The soil for thuja is chosen light, fertile, aerated. The composition is neutral or slightly alkaline, on acidic or saline soil the thuja grows poorly, the crown is loose, the decorative effect is low. Before planting, the site is dug up, the acidic composition is neutralized with alkaline agents. Mix the nutrient substrate from sand, compost, peat, sod layer (in equal amounts), add superphosphate (100 g).

Landing algorithm

2 days before planting, the arborvitae dig a hole 50 cm deep, 10 cm in diameter more than the root of the seedling, fill it with water. Algorithm for planting thuja western Woodwardy:

1. At the bottom of the recess, a drainage cushion is made of gravel or coarse pebbles and expanded clay (layer 20 cm).
2. A layer of substrate is poured on top.
3. A thuja Woodwardy seedling is installed in the center of the pit.
4. Fall asleep with the remnants of the fertile mixture, the root neck should remain 2 cm above the ground.
5. Seal and water abundantly.
6. When moisture is absorbed, mulch with straw, peat or wood chips. If the purpose of planting is to create a hedge, the interval between thujas should be at least 1 m.

Growing and care rules

Western thuja Woodwardy is popular because of the ability to maintain a decorative habit even under adverse conditions. Agricultural technology is standard, it does not differ from the method of growing all representatives of the Cypress family.

Watering Schedule

Thuja Woodwardy at the age of 5 years is watered 2 times a week with 8-12 liters of water. An adult plant needs 2 waterings per month. It is necessary to periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds. In the dry season, it is recommended to sprinkle in the morning or evening.

Additional fertilizing

For normal growth, the seedling of thuja Woodwardy, the nutrients introduced during planting, are enough for 3 years. In the future, the plant needs top dressing. In the spring, products containing potassium and phosphorus are applied, in the middle of summer they are fertilized with organic matter, and the root circle is periodically covered with wood ash.

Trimming

Up to 5 years of vegetation, Tue Woodwardy does not make a shaping haircut. If necessary, health pruning is carried out, shoots frozen in winter are removed. Remove twisted or weak stems and dry areas. In the sixth year of growth, you can cut the crown, giving it the intended shape. The work is carried out at the beginning of summer, molding will last for two years, then the event is repeated.

Preparation for winter

Thuja western Woodwardy is a frost-resistant plant, an adult shrub does not need crown shelter for the winter, snow cover is enough. In the autumn, moisture-charging irrigation is carried out and the layer of mulch is increased. Young seedlings are more vulnerable, preparatory measures include:

• hilling;
• increase in mulch;
• shelter of the crown with any moisture-resistant material;
• from above the bushes are covered with snow.

Pests and diseases

Western thuja Woodwardy with waterlogged soil is affected by late blight, the infection can lead to the death of the plant. It is recommended to reduce watering or transplant thuja to soil with good drainage. Less often, a fungal disease of the schütte is observed, spreading to the stems and needles, the affected areas turn yellow and die off. In the fight against the fungus, the drug “Cartocid” is effective.

Of the pests, it parasitizes on thuja Woodwardy:

• aphid – eliminate the pest with a concentrated soap solution;
• moth – get rid of the caterpillars “Fumitoksom”;
• spider mite – thuja is treated with colloidal sulfur.

In the spring, for preventive purposes, Woodwardy thuja is sprayed with copper-based preparations.

Conclusion

Thuya Woodwardy is a dwarf form of western thuja, a frost-resistant plant, unpretentious to the place of cultivation. Culture gives a slight annual increase, does not require frequent haircuts. Ornamental shrubs are used in the landscape design of household and summer cottages, gardens, urban recreation areas, sanatoriums and child care facilities.

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