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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.

Of course, you need to allow space for them. You can prune them to any height or width, but they are still a big tree. Left alone, they will grow to 30 feet and spread 25 feet wide. In a row where they are spaced 5 to 6 feet apart, they will attain a height of 20 feet and a width of about 8. Planting directions specify at least 4 feet from fence or property line and 15 feet from a septic system. The roots of an established tree spread a little farther than its branches.

People love these trees, which are hybrid evergreens in the cypress family. They are arborvitae trees, a name which may be more familiar than thuja. They adapt to almost any soil, even sandy loam or clay, and require no fertilizer (you may choose to fertilize lightly on planting). They never need spraying, since they are resistant to most bugs - even bagworms - and diseases. They are heat resistant but do best when watered once or twice a week in hot, dry weather. Grown from cuttings, the trees are remarkably uniform in height, width, and shape.

Best known as a privacy fence or a windbreak, these trees also make excellent sound barriers. They keep heavy-metal laden air pollution out of your yard; research shows that a dense hedge can shield vegetables and herbs from as much as ninety percent of the effects of near-by traffic.

With their cross-bred nature, the giants are left alone by deer and insect pests. Hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit but heat tolerant, too, they can thrive in planting zones 5 to 9. Check optimal planting times for Georgia; planting at the right time of year helps new trees get established and start their extraordinary growth. Browse online sites for information on size, price, shipping costs, and guarantees. You'll also get tips on thuja culture.

Trees are sold bare-root, with a burlap wrap around their pruned roots, or in containers. You will find six foot transplants in one gallon containers, but other nurseries might sell them in much larger tubs. Growers sometimes sell direct, which keeps the price down. Don't forget to factor in shipping costs when you compare prices, and look for free shipping offers.

Who would have thought that one day people would order trees online that are taller than they are - and have them shipped to their door? Crazy. Or have a well-established hedge (if you can call something 20 feet tall a hedge) in three or four years. It's like magic!




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