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Instant Gratification With Thuja Green Giants

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.

Thujas are evergreens in the cypress family. They are also known as arborvitae, a name which may be more familiar. The hybrids adapt to almost any soil, are insect and disease resistant, and don't need fertilizer once they are firmly rooted in place. Even bagworms leave them alone, as do deer most of the time. Although they are Heat resistant, they do best with regular watering during hot, dry periods. Because the best trees are grown from cuttings, they all look alike.

A seamless row of Green Giants will do more than make a privacy screen or windbreak. They are an effective sound barrier, muting noise of neighbors and traffic. They can also shield your garden from air pollution. If you're near a busy street, heavy metals from car exhaust may contaminate herbs and vegetables you grow for food. A dense hedge can cut pollution down to safe levels.

They are bred from native trees, so deer don't particularly like them. They are hardy to minus 20 degrees F, escape most damage from heavy snowfall, and grow well in zones 5 to 9. There are planting recommendations based on your zone, so be careful to plant them at the right time of year for Georgia. Check online to see sizes, prices, shipping costs, and tips on growing thujas.

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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