Thuja occidentalis Miky - Canadian Arborvitae

The Thuja occidentalis 'Miky' is a small coniferous with dark green foliage that turns reddish-brown under the effect of winter cold. Its small size and slow growth make it a very good rockery plant. Resistant to pollution, it is also a preferred choice for container gardening in urban environments. This hardy thuja is not demanding, it is content with a sunny or partially shaded exposure and a well-drained, but moist soil.

The Thuja occidentalis, known in France as Western Red Cedar or Eastern White Cedar, curiously carries the name White Cedar in this country. It is an evergreen conifer of the cypress family native to northeastern North America. It is distributed over a wide geographic area that perfectly reflects its adaptability. In nature, it reaches a height of 15 to 20 m (49 ft 2 in to 65 ft 7 in), adopting a beautiful conical habit and a trunk covered with a highly decorative reddish-brown bark. It is a perfectly hardy species, very well adapted to temperate climates and poor, wet or occasionally dry soils. Its almost rot-resistant wood, lightweight and with a cedar scent, is easily flammable and lends itself to many uses. Introduced to Europe around 1536, it is one of the first trees to come from the New World. Since then, it has become a timeless classic in our gardens, giving rise to more than 300 cultivars. Its lifespan reaches 300 years. In central Europe, it replaces Italian cypress trees in cemeteries, having become, like them, a symbol of immortality.

The 'Miky' variety has a compact and upright habit, forming over time a more or less regular small cone (about 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) high). This dwarf conifer has a very interesting graphic aspect and deserves to be planted individually to admire its beautiful architecture. It has its place in a contemporary garden that favors assertive forms, and of course also in a rockery, in association with other compact conifers of different colours and forms. By planting a 'Ivory Tower' yew next to it, you will obtain an interesting mix of volumes, between the thuja cone and the yew column. The yew also changes colour in winter, its summer yellow colour contrasting with the dark green of the thuja, while in winter its cream colour perfectly matches the reddish-brown of 'Miky'. Far from the somewhat fixed image that is sometimes attributed to them, here is proof that conifers can surprise us throughout the seasons! In a larger rockery, this 'Miky' Thuja will happily accompany the 'Silberlocke' Korean fir, whose silver-backed foliage (Silber = silver in German) will provide a choice background... not to mention its magnificent violet cones!

Its excellent resistance to pollution also makes Thuja occidentalis 'Miky' suitable for growing in decorative containers or pots, on a balcony or terrace in urban environments. Its small dimensions make it a great asset in these conditions, just make sure not to expose it to drying winds in summer, which it does not appreciate.