Thuja occidentalis Malonyana Aurea - Eastern White Cedar

The Thuja occidentalis 'Malonyana Aurea' is a medium-sized conifer with relatively fast growth and is highly appreciated for its architectural silhouette. It naturally forms a narrow column with multiple leading shoots, giving it a dense vegetation. Its golden foliage makes it extremely ornamental during the growing season and even in winter when it turns to a beautiful bronze yellow. Its aesthetic makes it ideal for forming tall hedges, especially since it tolerates pruning well, but it is also attractive when planted in rows or even as a standalone plant. Very hardy, it is easy to grow in most ordinary, well-drained soils as long as they remain moist, as it does not like dryness in the soil or the air. Tolerating urban pollution, its narrow shape allows it to be planted even in small gardens.

The Thuja occidentalis, also known as Eastern Arborvitae or White Cedar, is sometimes called Canadian Cedar or Balai. It is an evergreen conifer belonging to the Cupressaceae family, which includes many ornamental genera, such as Junipers, Chamaecyparis, or the majestic Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum). The Thuja genus only has five species, including T. occidentalis, native to northeastern North America, where it is found over a large geographic area. This area extends from the Great Lakes region in the United States to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River in Canada, covering parts of Ontario and southern Quebec. Growing in occasionally waterlogged soils in the north, it develops up to 900 m in altitude in the south, in less humid areas. This diversity of conditions makes it a remarkably adaptable and very hardy plant. In its native regions, it forms a conical tree, reaching a limited height of 7 m in marshy areas over 120 years but reaching 22 m with a trunk diameter of 32 cm (at 1.30 m above ground) in better-drained soils. The botanical species has inspired breeders who have created more than 300 cultivars for ornamental purposes.
The 'Malonyana Aurea' variety is highly prized for its very architectural silhouette, which is a very dense column. With relatively fast growth, this conifer reaches approximately 3 m in height and 70 cm in width after ten years of cultivation. At maturity, around 25 or 30 years, its stature will vary from 7 to 10 m in height with a diameter of 1.80 m. When crushed, this conifer is adorned with aromatic foliage of flattened branches covered with 3 to 5-mm long scales. These flat twigs, formed by overlapping leaves, orient themselves in different positions, giving the plant a slightly tousled appearance. The golden yellow vegetation is desirable during the growing season. It remains so in winter, turning to a very bright bronze yellow under the frequently cloudy sky.

The 'Malonyana Aurea' Western Red Cedar, resistant to cold and the polluted atmosphere of our cities, will find its place, even in the smallest gardens. Its architectural silhouette makes it a beautiful specimen when planted alone. In contrast, in larger spaces, you can plant it in rows to create a perspective or also use it to create a tall windbreak hedge, against which dark green or purple foliage plants will stand out. The Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy', an Eastern Redbud tree with heart-shaped purple leaves, will allow you to create a splendid contrast, even early in the season, when its bright pink flowering appears on the still bare branches. The Prunus lusitanica 'Tico', or Azores Laurel's green leaves carried by red petioles, will also be well highlighted against the golden background. A small Ornamental Apple tree, such as the Malus coccinella 'Courtarou', will also be an excellent choice to create an attractive and ever-changing scene with a succession of changing colours. Its foliage emerges in shades of purple before turning dark green and ending in an orange apotheosis in autumn. The golden colour of the Thuja will magnify its purplish-pink spring flowering, while in autumn, it will produce small purple-red fruits.