Rietumu tūja "Smaragd", augstums 1,4–1,7 m

• Type: Northern white cedar (arborvitae)
• Latin name: Thuja occidentalis
• Cultivar: Smaragd
• Mature height: 4–6 m
• Plant height when sold: ~1 m
• Light: sunny or semi-shaded
• Winter hardiness: USDA 3–7 (fully hardy in Estonia)

Planting Plant in spring or autumn (September) in a sunny or lightly shaded spot in moisture-retentive, well-drained soil; dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost and peat. Do not bury the root collar; for a hedge, space plants 50–70 cm apart.

Watering Water regularly in the first year, about once a week with 10–15 L per plant and more often in dry spells; thuja does not tolerate drying out. Mulch 5 cm deep and mist the foliage in the evening. Water thoroughly before winter.

Trimming Trim in spring or early June; remove no more than a third of the green growth at a time and never cut into old leafless wood, where new shoots will not form. Remove dead branches in spring.

Feeding and winter care Feed in spring with a conifer fertiliser and in late summer apply a potassium-rich autumn fertiliser; do not give nitrogen in autumn. Hardy, but shade young plants from the March sun, which scorches needles, and tie narrow cultivars so snow does not break them.