Thuja occidentalis 'DeGroot's Spire'
Ontario_Canada5a_USDA4b
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Leader died 2 years ago, I cut it off and the tree developed 2 leaders as you can see in the photo. I want the tree to gain height as fast as possible and remain as slender as possible.
Would it be purposeful to cut off the leader on the right?
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
last yearOntario_Canada5a_USDA4b
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Columnar Shrubs Along Fence
Comments (5)Emerald Arborvitae (Smargd) is my favorite go-to for green columns that don't get too too tall. They should top out at l0 to 12 feet, max. I grow them in full sun and nearly full shade and they do equally well in both places. I have a row of twelve of them along my house's back wall, planted three to four feet apart. I have never done one thing to them in six years except water and mulch and they are gorgeous. There's also a Blue Juniper called Blue POint that is pretty, but it gets very fat, and Junipers are very scratchy and make some people itch. The Arborvitae stays about three feet broad at the bottom and is very soft. Its only fault is the inner leaves will brown out this time of year and shed. It's not that big of a fault to my thinking when you consider its many attributes....See MoreDo any conifer branches refoliate?
Comments (9)In more general terms, most conifers won't re-grow after being cut back into old wood that has shed the leaves, but a few will: Pine family Pinaceae: ÂPines: a few (Pinus canariensis, P. pinea, P. rigida, and one or two others); most don't though. ÂDouglas-firs: Pseudotsuga macrocarpa does to a limited extent; others don't. ÂSpruces: Picea sitchensis does to a small degree; most others don't much if at all. ÂFirs: most don't, or only do so to a very small extent. Cypress family Cupressaceae: ÂSequoia sempervirens, Metasequoia, Cryptomeria, Taxodium, Cunninghamia, and one or two junipers do Âmost others (including most junipers) don't. Yew family Taxaceae: ÂYews: all do Araucaria family Araucariaceae: Âmost do, including Wollemia. Resin...See MoreChamaecyparis obtust compacta (Hinoki Cypress) SIZE
Comments (25)Not necessarily. A symmetrical house does not require a similarly symmetrically planned garden to generate a coordinated look. It depends totally on how the entire landscape is approached as well as the greater context. In fact, a distinctly asymmetrical (and by extension, a more informal or casual) landscape plan can soften the starkness that often accompanies very symmetrical architecture. Like KarinL's, my own home is extremely symmetrical - a Cape Cod style with a perfectly centered entry flanked by identical windows spaced exactly the same on the facade. The only thing NOT symmetrical about the structure is its placement on the lot - one side yard is approximately double the width of the other. And the narrow side has (had) a slight slope to a lower level. When we purchased the house, the front landcaping consisted only of a large, diseased conifer at the crest of the slope, pretty much a blank slate. The rest was lawn, bisected by the front walk. After living with the symmetry for a number of years and planting pretty much to accommodate it, it struck me that the presentation was much too static and well, boring. The walk was ripped up, the entry to the garden was relocated well to one side and a gradually curved, wide meandering walkway was installed to lead you from this offset entrance to the front door. The mirror image patches of lawn were trashed and became deep, irregularly shaped planting beds. The only concession to symmetry is the proportion and balance of the planting masses. The effect now is a much more aesthetically interesting presentation. But these are indeed landscape design issues and perhaps more appropriately addressed in the appropriate forum. But it is important to remember that there are no hard "rules" when it comes to landscaping and just because one has a home with a very symmetrical appearance, it does not necessarily follow that the landscaping must echo that symmetry. I'd venture to say that you will have a far more interesting and successful landscape if it does not....See MoreConifer choice
Comments (15)A 3' max width and a 12' height limitation narrows down the choices substantially. And based on your list, I assume you want these to be evergreen as well. The juniper will get taller and wider than your parameters plus the location looks bit to shady for junipers to be happy. In addition to the arborvitae and Sky Pencil (which I have never seen in a box store, btw) the following could work and if exceeding the intended height could certainly be pruned to stay within bounds: Thuja occidentalis 'DeGroot's Spire' or 'Smaragd' (Emerald Green) Ilex crenata 'Jersey Pinnacle' Ilex vomitoria 'Will Fleming' Euonymus japonicus 'Green Spire' (only gets to around 8' tall) Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata' I could suggest some yews (Taxus species) that could work but they grow SO slowly I'm not sure they are really what you are looking for. Same with boxwood. And if you didn't mind a lot of pruning or shearing to keep size in check there are other broadleaf evergreen shrubs that could fit the bill....See More
alley_cat_gw_7b
last yearIts a little unnerving at first but on a young one like that it will fill in on its own If your willing to wait a season or two. I used to cut out one a season until I got it where I liked it I started with a 2 1/2 - 3' tree.
Here's a photo that's a few yrs old...
Currently the tree is over 12'.
Ontario_Canada5a_USDA4b thanked alley_cat_gw_7bOntario_Canada5a_USDA4b
last year
FrozeBudd_z3/4
last yearOntario_Canada5a_USDA4b
last yearInteresting specimens, from ACS and Iseli. I hope mine will grow like the latter, If it grew like the former, I would cut off the top, and I would like it very, very much, too!
Ontario_Canada5a_USDA4b
last yearlast modified: last year
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