Thuja occidentalis Mirjam - Canadian Arborvitae

The  Thuja occidentalis 'Mirjam' is a low-growing, highly graphic conifer that naturally forms a beautiful rounded and compact mass, resembling a topiary. Its fairly fine foliage is very structured, with young golden-green shoots that turn bronze in winter, on flattened branches. Its slow growth and small size allow for many uses, in a rockery, as a standalone plant, in a border with other bushes, or even in a large pot near an entrance. It is also a hardy and undemanding conifer.

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

The 'Mirjam' variety won a bronze medal at the professional Plantarium event in 2008, in Boskoop, a major center for Dutch and European nurseries. Indeed, it is a small conifer with many advantages, from its very good hardiness (-25°C) to its particularly decorative appearance. With slow growth, it forms a perfect ball about 70 cm (27.6 in) in diameter, reaching a maximum height of 1 m (3 ft 4 in) when mature. Its highly graphic habit is enhanced by the emergence of young shoots, which display a beautiful bright golden-green colour to brighten up spring. Then, as the cold approaches, in autumn and winter, the foliage takes on a bronze colour that is quite striking. Thus, it is decorative in all seasons, with its fine and structured foliage with changing colours, making it an ideal subject for rockeries.
It thrives in full sun, prefers a rich, neutral soil (adapts to slightly acidic or alkaline soils), not too dry in summer.  

The 'Mirjam' Western Red Cedar can be planted in a container to enhance a terrace. In the garden, its graphic habit will be well highlighted in a contemporary space, where the simplicity of forms prevails over the exuberance of blooms. Its light foliage will then blend well with darker or bluish masses, such as the one formed by the Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'. A stronger contrast can easily be achieved with a small bush like the Berberis thunbergii Rosy Rocket, which, with its upright habit and small red, pink, and white leaves turning purple in autumn, creates a permanent spectacle alongside our miniature Thuja.

Planted in a bed with other plants, its somewhat compact and massive appearance can be lightened with fine grasses swaying in the wind or Gauras with charming little flowers hovering over the narrow foliage.