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Four years of Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb Gold'

firefightergardener

11 years ago

One of the very best small gold plants, it does tend to burn in full sun but handles 4-6 hours of sun in most climates. Too much shade will result in a light green plant. It grows an inch or so a year and is gold for the entire four seasons with the right sunlight. A classic for collectors, a winner for every garden.

Early Summer, 2009. Coenosium Garden source(and they had some real beauties last time I visited).

2010

2011

2012 - Winter. Not much larger than the original photo.

-Will

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Comments (7)

severnside
11 years ago
Third and fouth pics, the juniper and pine have receded, did you trim them both. Also were there particularly hot spells to cause the burn damage that was not around in 2009 and 2010?
firefightergardener
Original Author
11 years ago
I've trimmed the juniper last Winter and this one. Pinus sylvestris 'Calle' also towered over this little guy, blocking part of the hottest sun the first two years. It was moved last Spring. I really don't think there is much 'burn' present, in fact in the most recent photo, to me anyways, it shows a little bit too much shade-coloring.

Our 'hot spells' are weeks of low 80s and a few days in the 90s. It doesn't really compare to the Midwest of the US.

-Will
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Picea orientalis Photo Gallery 2012
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Comments (22)
Interesting you should ask that, Will.. Because it quickly went from barely-white to the white/silver typical of this cultivar and then burned in the sunlight and warm temps to some extent.. Many other parts of the plant suffered slight burn. This branch was the best-looking. That being said, I believe the white color does come on after the growth matures. If this has anything to do with the fact that the nights are becoming cooler, I wouldn't know... -Sam
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Four years of Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb Gold'
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Comments (4)
i am still seeing grass ... lol ... so you attribute all the burn to sun??? ... i guess i could presume you water at will .. thats a pun ... plus the PNw and your moderate temps rule out drought and prolonged high heat ... and i suppose there is no lingering night heat .... and you dont have sand.... so what else could it be ... mine is in full shade ... but unfortunately.. it doesnt color as yellow as one might wish ... thanks for the pix ... and the effort to post them ken ps: do you grow momma???? .... skylands... same sun problems???? .. i am still working on the worlds ugliest skylands ... seems after ten years.. it might be getting enough roots down to grow up a little ... but also.. now that i think about it.. the oaks have provided much more shade .... but burn was never its only problem ... leader refusal was a bigger issue ...
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Four years of Picea orientalis 'Iseli Seedling'
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Comments (29)
Randall said "Looks like he has a great plant, but with all the nomenclature problems already in our world, let's not get this one mixed up too!" This is Iseli's own fault, because THEY donated some seedlings without a name to an ACS auction. How stupid can you be to gave it a cultivar name ahead of an auction. Any name is ok, even when it was the name of your neighbours wife, it NEEDS a name before it get spread! Even a varietal name will not work, this also will give confusions. Now there are a ton of 'differend Skylands' seedlings availlable and another bigg mess has started...man, what is this a very sad situation...
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Picea orientalis photo gallery 2011
Q
Comments (16)
A few more today while it's cloudy and I have time. 'Nana Compacta'. A not well known cultivar it seems, very shrubby with dense green growth. About 15 years old and 3 feet wide. 'Silver Seedling'. Almost full shae, still sheens of silver and green. Will burn in full sun, so half sun or less is probably ideal. Slow growing, eventually puts up a leader I believe. 'Daureas'. Gold like this for months and then more subtle green-gold the rest of the year. Many plants in my garden will be moved, these three will present a tough decision. -Will
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fotisr
11 years ago
Will, thank you for continuing this parade of cultivars. This one is one of my favourites. You know, I have a list of cultivars that my garden should have twice. 'Tom Thumb Gold' is on the top places of this list along with 'Golden Spreader', 'Kohout's Icebreaker','Blaue Hexe' and several others.
For now I only have one thumb. Can't wait to see it develope a leader in later years (I think I've seen an Iseli image of a pyramidal thumb but I can't find it now).
Here is my ball of gold. On the right. 3-4 hours of morning sun and then light to deep shade does the trick for beautiful gold color on my specimen.

Best regards,
Fotis
coniferjoy
11 years ago
Fotis, the 'Tom Thumb Gold'won't make a leader.
The one you have in mind is the Iseli 'Skylands Seedling #1'
{{gwi:869562}}

{{gwi:869563}}

Pictures taken by our forum friend Randall Smith.
Randall, what's that compact part on the left half side?
To me it looks like a branchmutation or maybe a witches' broom...
fotisr
11 years ago
Yeah, that's the one I thought it was TTG. It's ok though. I'll live with it being a ball forever. Perfect cultivar anyway. Edwin, I want a second one when you have some good sized ones! :)

Fotis
PRO
Katsura Gardens
11 years ago
Edwin, I took this pic today w my iphone of a Skylands Seedling. notice the bottom left just as in the pic from Randall Smith. I noticed it about a year ago and thought it might be a broom...

john
coniferjoy
11 years ago
I'm sorry to say John, but I think that part isn't a witches' broom.
That part is growing in shade, that's why it's colour is a nice lemon without any sunburn.
Imo it would be better for this specimen if it was standing in a more shady location so the nice lemon colour whas spread all over it...

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