Thuja Plicata Cultivars Growth Rates

11 years ago

I'm interested in finding out more about the growth rate of some of the T. Plicata cultivars, namely the Spring Grove, Steeplechase, and Zebrina. I'd really like some trees that will grow to at least 12 feet relatively quickly (~3-4 years). I know this may not be realistic if I start with 3 foot tall trees. So do all of these cultivars have comparable growth rates?

I know the Zebrina should ultimately grow taller and wider than the other two from the information I've encountered but I don't know how quickly it grows. Anyone have personal experience or caveats with the T. plicatas? I've read already that bagworms (or leaf-eating caterpillars in general) can be a major problem.

In case, anyone wonders what I plan to do with them. I want to use 3-4 in a grouping for a mixed border that will be planted 5-6 feet from a 6 foot tall fence. The primary usage is privacy.

Thanks.

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Comments (7)

Embothrium
11 years ago
Back there you should try 'Green Giant'.

Here is a link that might be useful: A Jolly 'Green Giant' Spotted at the National Arboretum

This post was edited by bboy on Mon, Mar 4, 13 at 17:30
coniferjoy
11 years ago
The 'Steeplechase' and 'Green Giant' aren't true cultivars of Thuja plicata.
They're a cross between Thuja standishii and Thuja plicata...
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at the link below.. suggested growth rate is 2 to 5 feet per year ... you meant the green giants.. yes?? why would you presume that Britain would have a slower growth rate ..??? ken Here is a link that might be useful: link
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>I have both in my collectionAlways keep in mind that when you acquire a plant under a name it may not represent the full extent of material that has been grown under that name. This becomes important when making comparisons or descriptive comments. The '-----' you got from ----- may not be the same as the original or even fit the contemporary concept of that variety. Old, Latin name cultivars from the 19th century are often not possible to link with certainty to plants being grown today under the name. Multiple different clones may be in circulation when a name has been used a long time. I read the account of 'Irish Gold' when the name was founded, don't remember how 'Zebrina Extra Gold' came into it. It is possible 'Irish Gold' was supposed to replace 'Zebrina Extra Gold' as a name for the same cultivar. Around 1994, when I went to England a nursery there sold me separate forms under the two names, which I grew for a short time and then discarded. As I remember it the 'Irish Gold' - of that supplier - had reddish or bronze tinting of the new growth that was not so apparent in the form provided as 'Zebrina Extra Gold'. One of similar appearance to 'Zebrina Extra Gold' may have been sold here as 'Canadian Gold'. Or that name may have been used for something else, perhaps a form of Thuja occidentalis. Or both usages of the name may have occurred. I think the last time I saw plants under the name they appeared to belong to the eastern species.
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I am not sure that the appearance of your GGÂs now is any indication that they are something other than GGÂs. If you could post a picture I could tell you if they are unusually ragged looking for GGÂs of their size and age. GGÂs when they are young and growing very fast may not look as full as larger trees. In any case, whatever they are, GGÂs or straight T. plicata, they should fill out very nicely in a few years. I am growing both GGÂs and T. plicata and they look very much the same, but there are some subtle differences that make it clear that I do have two different kinds of trees. Perhaps the T. plicata are growing a bit slower, but they are also smaller and planted three years more recently, so they may not be fully established yet. Also, perhaps the GGÂs are growing in a bit more narrow form and thinner foliaged at the top, but it is too early to be sure just what the differences may be as they age. The Virginia Arboretum nearby has some T. plicata that were planted about 60 years ago.. They are moderately large trees with beautiful full foliage. So, whatever you have, you will have nice looking trees in a few years. --Spruce
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Some grow more finely branched, narrow crowns due to something about the local environment in some places. Along Hogan Avenue in/near Gresham, OR this behavior is apparently so extreme propagations from there have been made and dispersed as a cultivar 'Hogan'. (More recently Stanley & Sons have made other selections ('Brick' etc.) from the vicinity and put them on the market. As with at least some stock sold as 'Hogan' the variant growth is not fully maintained outside of the original environment.) Others are genuine habit variants with a genetic basis. Those producing growth of this type appear to have been called hedging cedars in the Lower Mainland of BC. Old pseudo-species names like 'Atrovirens', 'Excelsa' and 'Virescens' are used for such, along with more recently coined ones including 'Green Sport'. An interesting and unusual rare one is the unfortunately named 'Colvos Hybrid', a seedling selection of pure Thuja plicata with an arrowhead shape and almost monstrously thick shoots. The original seedling grew slowly and did not seem unusually bothered by the gloom produced by a Monterey pine that soon overtopped it. Check with Colvos Creek nursery, Vashon, WA for availability.
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Tha Pranksta
Original Author
11 years ago
So you recommend the GG over the cultivars. Is it because of the growth rate primarily? I was concerned about the Green Giant ultimately getting too large for my backyard. That's one of the main reasons I've been looking at the cultivars. The Zebrina is more about the color being a good contrast and that I think one tree getting pretty big might be more do-able.

Thanks for the correction coniferjoy.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
i recognize your name.. did i answer this anywhere else???

they will ALL get too big for most yards.... its just a matter of how many decades ... plant something a little exciting.. rather than choosing by size alone ...

see link for conifer intro .. its all about annual growth rate.. multiply by 10 for common size ESTIMATES...

double it for 20 years.. as trees.. they never really stop growing ...

when you buy.. INSIST on.. and select ONLY single leader trees ... to avoid storm damage down the years ...

at the link.. is also a coniferbase link .. sometimes you can hit pay dirt on information ... try only the cultivar name w/o quote marks ..

species have one growth rate.. plants with lesser growth rates are usually 'named' varieties ..

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: the conifer sizes part
Embothrium
11 years ago
The Asian half of the cross makes 'Green Giant' able to do well back east. It is thought a long time ago T. plicata and T. occidentalis were one, today T. plicata is the version adapted to conditions out here and T. occidentalis the one suited to eastern environments. If T. plicata liked it back there it would look and act like T. occidentalis.

You probably need a dwarf cultivar, what happens when the larger one starts to grow above 12'? 'Zebrina', for instance has been recorded 80' tall, with a 65' average crown spread. Several years ago one in a Seattle park was determined to be 77' tall. Another, in a cemetary there measured 71' tall with an average crown spread of 59'.
Tha Pranksta
Original Author
11 years ago
Yes Ken...you have seen me in other places around here. Heh heh. Someone suggested I come to the conifer section for specific information on Arborvitae so here I am. The problem with just buying based on what looks best is I don't want to wait a decade for a privacy screen and I don't have the money to buy outright big trees so I have to compromise.
Embothrium
11 years ago
Often when you plant stock that hides part of the unwanted view that turns out to be enough, until it grows up to hide the rest of it - there is a big difference between full and partial visibility.

Planting large, vigorous types is liable to turn out to be a mistake, if this is not a big space. Unless you are planning to shear.

Or move.

This post was edited by bboy on Wed, Mar 6, 13 at 15:22

Thuja Plicata Cultivars Growth Rates

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Thuja Plicata Cultivars Growth Rates

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Embothrium

coniferjoy

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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