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Thuja occidentalis King of Brabant - Eastern White Cedar

Thuja occidentalis King of Brabant®
Eastern White Cedar, Northern White Cedar, American Arborvitae, Eastern Arborvitae

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This thuja with a conical habit is taller and more voluminous than the award-winning 'Brabant'. All its shoots have upright growth, naturally harmonious, making it a beautiful specimen in isolation. In winter, its foliage is bronze-coloured. It is a very hardy and undemanding conifer suitable for all our regions, content with well-drained, not-too-dry soil and sunny exposure.
Height at maturity
6 m
Spread at maturity
2.50 m
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -34.5°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to June, September to November
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Description

The Canadian Arborvitae or Thuja occidentalis 'King of Brabant' is a different form of the well-known variety 'Brabant'. A strongly upright habit distinguishes it, more conical, taller and less narrow, and a bronze colouration of the foliage in winter. It is also undemanding and vigorous. It provides a good hedge subject and an excellent standalone conifer to plant, as the growth of all its shoots is very erect, so the shape is naturally harmonious. Suitable for almost all our regions, its cultivation presents no difficulty and tolerates pruning ideally.

The Thuja occidentalis, the Canadian Arborvitae or Western Red Cedar, is sometimes called the White Cedar of Canada or Broom. It is an evergreen conifer of the cypress family native to northeastern North America. It is distributed over a wide geographical area that perfectly reflects the plasticity of its living conditions, from swamps to cliffs. In nature, it reaches a height of 15 to 20 m, adopting a beautiful conical habit and a trunk covered with decorative bark that peels off in reddish-brown plates. It is a very hardy species, well adapted to temperate climates and poor, moist, or occasionally dry soils. Its almost rot-resistant, lightweight, fragrant, and easily flammable wood lends itself to many uses. More than 300 cultivars have been selected for their ornamental qualities.

The variety 'King of Brabant' reaches 5 to 7 m in height and 2 to 3 m in width at ten years old, with a regular conical habit. When crushed, this extremely resistant conifer reveals particularly aromatic foliage of flattened branches covered with 3 to 5-mm long scales. Overlapping each other, the leaves give the twigs a flat appearance. The young shoots are yellow-green in spring, gradually taking on their definitive colour, a relatively light green. In winter, the foliage takes on a bronze colour. The cones, slender and brown when ripe, are formed by 4 or 5 scales.

The 'King of Brabant' Western Red Cedar harmoniously integrates into various gardens, whether spacious or more modest. Its ease of maintenance, once acclimated, makes it a preferred choice for gardeners looking for simple and practical solutions to enhance their outdoor space. The foliage of this plant brings a touch of dense and vibrant greenery throughout the year, a beautiful backdrop for compositions of perennials and flowering shrubs. Its texture and colour blend perfectly with wilder garden elements, as well as with architectural structures. It proves to be an excellent choice for creating windbreak hedges. Its graphic appearance and structural qualities make it particularly suitable for contemporary gardens. This plant can easily replace species traditionally used to structure the garden, such as trimmed boxwood or holly, allowing for playing with volumes and shades of green to create visually captivating compositions.

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Thuja: planting, pruning and care
Family sheet
by Eva 12 min.
Thuja: planting, pruning and care
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Thuja occidentalis King of Brabant - Eastern White Cedar in pictures

Thuja occidentalis King of Brabant - Eastern White Cedar (Foliage) Foliage

Plant habit

Height at maturity 6 m
Spread at maturity 2.50 m
Habit conical, pyramidal
Growth rate normal

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased
Product reference • 22342

Planting and care

Thuja occidentalis, 'King of Brabant', can be planted from September to November and from February to June in deep, ordinary, loose soil that is not too heavy, acidic, neutral or even slightly chalky but still cool. It only fears scorching temperatures and prolonged drought. However, it does need a sunny or semi-shady spot to grow well. Soak the clumps well before planting. If necessary, add an organic amendment at planting and water copiously in the first few years in the event of prolonged drought. In very poor soil, you can apply a special conifer fertiliser every April and hoe the soil in summer. This very hardy conifer (down to at least -25°C) bears pruning well.

Planting period

Best planting time March, October to November
Recommended planting time February to June, September to November

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Back of border, Free-standing, Hedge
Hardiness Hardy down to -34.5°C (USDA zone 4) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Any
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Ordinary, loose and deep soil.

Care

Pruning instructions If pruning is necessary, it should be carried out during the dormant season, in late summer or early spring.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time March, September
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

Planting & care advice

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