Thuja occidentalis Totem Smaragd - Canadian Arborvitae

The Thuja occidentalis 'Totem Smaragd' is a charming small conifer, both easy to grow, decorative and low maintenance. Its habit is a small oval and tapered column, very regular, served by a very dense, very fine and vibrant green foliage. Its slow growth, small size and natural elegance allow for numerous uses, in a boundary hedge that does not need to be pruned, as a standalone, in a bed with perennials or bushes, or even in a large pot on the terrace. It is a very hardy conifer, which can adapt to any well-drained but rather moist soil, and to all exposures.

The Thuja occidentalis, the Eastern White Cedar or Northern White Cedar, is sometimes called the Eastern Arborvitae or American Arborvitae. It is an evergreen conifer of the cypress family native to northeastern North America. It is distributed over a vast geographic area that perfectly reflects the plasticity of its living conditions. In the wild, it reaches a height of 15 to 20 m (49 to 66ft), adopting a beautiful conical habit, and a trunk covered with very decorative bark. It is a perfectly hardy species, very 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.

The 'Totem Smaragd' variety was awarded a Gold Medal by Gardenia in 2020 and a Silver Medal by GrootGroenPlus in 2019. This Dutch cultivar stands out for its small size, narrow and upright habit, intensely branched vegetation, and its intensely green foliage of great delicacy. Its growth is slow, so it will not exceed 1.75 m (6ft) in height with a spread of 80-90 cm (32-35in) at maturity, after many years. Its growth rate is about 15-20 cm (6-8in) per year after the two or three years required for its establishment. This conifer reveals particularly fine foliage, almost feathery, aromatic when crushed, consisting of flattened branches arranged in planes, and covered with scale-like leaves measuring 3 to 5 mm (<1in) in length. Nested within each other, the leaves give the twigs a flat appearance. The foliage is light and vibrant green from spring to summer, then it takes on more yellow to orange hues in autumn and winter. The decorative cones, slender, green and then brown at maturity, are 8 to 12 mm (1in) long and 4 to 5 mm (<1in) wide, formed by 4 or 5 scales.

The Thuja occidentalis 'Totem Smaragd' will find its place in a small garden, a large rockery, grouped in a small free hedge, or planted in groups of three near an entrance. It can also be planted in a nice container on the terrace or balcony. It pairs well with more disorderly shrubs, large stones, the geometric lines of swimming pools or buildings. It can be associated with complementary grasses or dwarf conifers with a prostrate habit (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'), globose shape (Picea abies 'Little Gem'), or even with the indestructible Microbiota decussata, whose autumn color matches. The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of forms, silhouettes and textures over the dance of blooms. These reassuringly permanent plants structurally define a bed for a long time, mark the pathways, border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colors.