Hello, darlings! We prepared fun facts, a care guide, and some tips on little giant arborvitae for you today!
The little giant plant from the cypress family is very tall in the wild. There are both spherical and dwarf varieties. Thuja occidentalis is very popular in Russia and the CIS countries.
How to plant this plant in your yard? We’ll talk about that today. We will also mention its care guide, which, if you follow, will give you an excellent healthy plant.
It can be used as a decorative element, as part of a hedge (assuming that proper and timely pruning is done on a regular basis).
Shall we start then darlings?
Little Giant Arborvitae (Shrubs) Features
Easy to care for, with delicate uh-mazing texture, let your landscape shine with this evergreen. A small giant Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis “Little Giant”) turns into a beautiful round ball, with or without scars. This is an easy choice if you want to add formal skills without hard work.
Slowly but surely – it turns into a pure rich green foliage. The leaves of the little giant are saturated with dark green, with a flat jet of fan-shaped lace needles. The blades develop in all directions to maintain their general shape.
The color remains dark green throughout the year. No winter support for this selection! You will be amazed by the harsh nature of this beautiful plant. Small giants can tolerate the cold and can grow in constantly humid places. It can handle even salty air.
Everyone wants these cute green balls and you don’t have to cut or shape them that way. It is one of the few landscaping plants that grow in a natural spherical shape.
They have a naturally round form. The little giants are different year-round from all the cones and columns you see in evergreen plants. If you’re somehow wondering if they’re deer resistant, because we all know those troubles, yes they are! Most pine trees are!
Little Giant Size
Many homeowners and landscapers look at the growth rate of the little giant without hesitation. Little giants grow 15 to 20 feet wide and twice as tall – with a max length and a mature height of 80 feet.
While this makes this plant a good choice for windbreakers or screens in large areas, it often overwhelms a residential yard.
The pruning of these giants creates a “lollipop” effect, with a large, pyramidal crown, which balances on an unattractive, scarred trunk.
Thuja Occidentalis Little Giant Native Habitat
Thuja is a coniferous species native to East Asia and North America, consisting of six evergreen plants. The Arborvitae “Green Giant” variety is a very fast-growing hybrid variety. It’s a cross between Western Redcedar and Japanese arborvitae. Place of birth Europe, D.T. Green Giant was created at Poulsen Nursery in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Little Giants As Landscape Plants
The little giant Arborvitae makes up a cute, evergreen hedge that will help you identify your “landscaped garden bed”. Imagine adding beautiful elegant ribbons around a wonderful gift. That’s your garden with this plant 2 feet in the center to create a neat, evergreen fence.
Draw a sidewalk, face tall bushes, or place it on either side of the driveway. Little Gem looks beautiful all year round. Be proud of your home look with these little evergreen balloons. For greater effectiveness, try using it on a number of outer containers.
Ultramodern with height-adjustable columns for a nice or traditional contrast with low rectangular boxes. Or use it as a thriller in a larger container and add Blooming Fillers and Spillers.
They fit any style of garden. Or on the terrace, or veranda for a very elegant look. Lonely little giants create interesting patterns on plants. In early spring, when it’s fresh and rich in green color, it creates a wonderfully unique look.
Are there low areas in your landscape that are occasionally wet, but not too long? Make fantastic mass landings with the curved route of the little giant 2 meters away from the garden centers.
Keep the new planting in bulk until the mulch between the bush and the tent has grown together. Repeat along the length of the perennial edge, adding the desired structure. Grow to the maximum height and unfold as indicated in the plant section.
Giant Dwarf Arborvitae Maintenance And Care
Plant arborvitae trees at a distance of 6 feet to set up a privacy hedge(if you need and want some). Establish groups of these plants on lawns or in the background of the landscape.
In addition to defining the lines of your garden or yard very well, it also protects against strong winds. Little Giant Arborvitae also emits a wonderful intoxicating pine scent. Now, let’s talk more about its care.
Partial Shade Or Full Sun For Little Giant?
Little Giant Arborvitae prefers full sun. It will tolerate partial shade and actually thrives in light afternoon shade in hot summer climates.
Of course, you know your garden or yard best and you know where that location is most favorable. We advise you to plant it next to some other trees in the yard where it will get a lot of suns and a lot of light at the same time, but also a little shade.
Does This Plant Like Cold Temperature?
The little giant is an extremely adaptable species, so its endurance climate goes to extremes. It is best suited to a temperature of 40 F. It can withstand -40 F.
There are species that grow only in the border areas of the forest and are the only community at high altitudes, so they tolerate cold and frost well.
The most common species, white or common pine, is extremely adaptable to colder areas and tolerates frost well. Mediterranean pines prefer ox warm areas and dry climates, so they have a hard time surviving on land.
Due to the resin, they collect in the needles and trunk, they cope well with extreme cold.
Create Perfect Soil Type For It
It can grow on a variety of soils such as poor soil and clay and thrives best on moist, fertile, well-drained loam. Avoid wet soil that does not drain well and exposure to splashes or salt.
Arborvitae prefers moist, well-drained soil in full sun or even partial shade. Most U.S. zones offer ideal growing conditions for arborvitae and are difficult for the USDA 3 area.
Check drainage before planting arbors and add semolina to a depth of 8 inches if the soil retains too much moisture.
Arborvitae needs soil ph levels of 6.0 to 8.0, which should contain a good amount of organic material on which to increase its structure and nutrient levels.
Choose Evergreen Fertilizer For Little Giant Arborvitae
Fertilization of this plant involves preparatory fertilization and top dressing. The soil in which the pine will be planted should be prepared before planting in the fall.
The little giant loves acidic soils, so mix peat and manure in the hole, which will further enrich it with minerals. After planting, feed the little giant once or twice a year with mineral fertilizer for coniferous trees.
Is Well Drained Soil The Right Option?
The little giant is a very adaptable species with a root that penetrates deep and can withstand long periods of drought. Depending on the place of planting, the amount of water should be adjusted.
It usually finds enough water on its own, but young plantations should be watered twice a month for a longer period without rain.
It likes moderately moist soil but does not tolerate wetlands or those with too much water. If grown indoors, it is watered every two days during the increased heat in the room.
How To Propagate Little Giant?
Arborvitae is propagated by cuttings or seeds. Propagation by cuttings is a riskier method of propagation, especially if the tree from which the cuttings are taken is older. Direct planting in the ground makes it harder to achieve results, so vaccination has proven to be the best way.
Seed propagation is especially common in nature. Male and female flowers ripen during May when they are fertilized.
Fertilization takes place 13 months after pollination and one embryo develops. The cone can mature the same year or two, three years later. The seeds are located under the scales, but when they shoot, they come out and, thanks to their long wings, are easily carried by the wind.
Pruning, Yes Or No?
The little giant plant, Covered in dense, evergreen foliage from the ground up, needs little to no pruning or shearing. Growing elegantly and healthy, it only needs to be pruned for aesthetic reasons. Shear into a desired shape and size, and maintain that in warmer upcoming months.
Sudden pruning of the outer leaves results in bare, twiggy branches that rarely fill with new growth. Homeowners can easily avoid this problem. Thuja cultivars come in a variety of sizes.
Carefully research the sizes of the mature ones and choose a suitable place away from power lines, fences, or other buildings. Always consider the future size of the surrounding plants.
How To Plant Little Giant?
The position and condition of the soil are the main concerns regarding the planting of arborvitae trees. These evergreen deciduous scales have a broad root system that spreads and is usually close to the surface.
Open the hole twice as big and deep as the root ball so that the roots can expand as soon as the tree is established.
Water frequently for the first few months and then begins to shrink. Make deep watering when watering and make sure the plant does not dry out in the hot summer punishment.
And voila, now your little giant arborvitae is planted! You will soon see so many benefits. It will protect your terrace from direct sun, from strong wind, it will have an amazing scent in your yard and so much more.
Little Giant Globe Arborvitae Pests And Diseases
We bring you some of the most common pests and diseases of little giant arborvitae.
- Red spider
The red spider also feeds on juices from needles and builds tiny webs in the canopy, making it difficult to see at first. Because it lays a multitude of eggs, it is often a serious threat to the plantation.
It usually propagates deep in the canopy, so the plant needs to be persistently treated with a fungicide.
- Shield lice
Shield lice are the insect that most often attacks the little giant, especially if it is planted in dense rows.
It lays its eggs on needles and sucks the juice and weakens them, which leads to the shedding and drying of branches, and even the whole plant. The pest is visible by spreading branches, and it is controlled by using insecticides.
- Dropping of older needles
The cause of this disease is a fungus that can spread from other coniferous species and survive for a long time in spores in the soil and infect an already mature tree.
The first spots appear during August and in the fall the condition can worsen leading to the drying of parts or whole branches. There are no registered fungicides for this disease, but the prevention is to leave enough space on the plantation and destroy the infected plants.
- Red spotting needles
This disease is caused by a fungus that spreads through the wind, so it has a great potential to infect the entire plantation. It most often appears during June, and the first symptoms are reddish spots.
Spots cause the needles to dry out and fall off, leading to tree stripping and drying. It fights preventively by using copper-based fungicides, and infected plants need to be burned.
Wrapping Up About Little Giant Arborvitae
You are ready to plant a little giant arborvitae now. We’ve made a foundation planting with this article, the rest is on you!
You know all about larger shrubs and globe-shaped plants now. Isn’t that lovely? Once you plant it, I’m sure you’ll have the most beautiful landscape in your neighborhood.
Prepare to have an amazing slow-growing (it will be worth it) plant in your garden. We hope this lovely little plant full-filled your required criteria. Was our “long” care guide answer helpful? We can only hope so. Get some seeds and get ready to plant amazing perennials.
Until next time, good luck!