Thuja occidentalis Golden Tuffet - Canadian Arborvitae

Forming a spreading and compact cushion, Thuja occidentalis 'Golden Tuffet' wears its name beautifully. This small conifer is an  excellent ground cover, with an attractive, aromatic foliage that is yellow in summer and turns  orange to bronze in winter. Its flattened branchlets covered with scales appear curiously braided. Its slow growth and small size allow for various uses, in a small garden, rockery, as a standalone specimen, in a border with perennials or shrubs, or even in a large pot on the terrace. It is a very hardy conifer, not demanding in terms of soil type, and can tolerate well-drained soil, even poor and occasionally dry, and a sunny position.

Thuja occidentalis, also known as Northern White Cedar or American Arborvitae, is sometimes called Eastern White Cedar or Arborvitae. It is an evergreen conifer of the cypress family native to northeastern North America. It is distributed over a wide geographic range that perfectly reflects the plasticity of its living conditions, from swamps to cliffs, all hostile environments that discourage many other competing species. In nature, it reaches a height of 15 to 20m (49ft 2in to 65ft 7in), adopting a beautiful conical habit, and a trunk covered with a highly decorative, reddish-brown exfoliating bark. It is a very hardy species, very well adapted to temperate climates and poor, wet or occasionally dry soils. Its almost rot-resistant, lightweight, fragrant, and easily flammable wood lends itself to many uses. It has given rise to more than 300 cultivars that have been selected for their ornamental qualities.

The 'Golden Tuffet' cultivar, derived from this species, distinguishes itself by its very small size,  its globose, cushion-like habit  that is wider than it is tall, and its very elegant foliage, with changing colours. Its growth is slow, so it will reach a height of  50cm (19.7in) and a spread of 1m (3ft 4in) at the age of 10 years. Then its growth will slow down even further and tend to reach a height of 1m (3ft 4in) after many long years. This conifer reveals an aromatic foliage when crushed, consisting of flattened branchlets that appear braided and covered with scale-like leaves  3 to 5mm long. Overlapping each other, the diamond-shaped leaves give the branchlets a flat appearance. The foliage, which remains juvenile in this variety, is golden yellow in summer, then takes on a predominantly bronze-orange hue in winter.

The 'Golden Tuffet' Eastern White Cedar will find its place in a small garden, in a rockery, or planted as ground cover in a border, as it is  a very adaptable plant that is not demanding in well-drained soil. It can also be installed in a beautiful container on the terrace or balcony. It goes well with large stones, the geometric lines of swimming pools or houses. It can be associated with complementary grasses or prostrate (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'), globose (Picea abies 'Little Gem') dwarf conifers, or even with the indestructible Microbiota decussata whose autumnal colour matches. The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over the dance of blooms. These plants with their reassuring permanence durably structure a border, mark pathways, border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.