Thuja occidentalis Sunny Smaragd - Eastern White Cedar

Thuja occidentalis 'Sunny Smaragd' is a narrow, conical Canadian Arborvitae with bright golden yellow, evergreen foliage. This compact golden conifer will brighten up your garden planted individually or in a mass planting, and your terrace, in a large pot. It grows quickly and is suitable for use as a single-species hedge. This hardy and easy to maintain bush thrives in full sun and partial shade in moist, well-drained soil.

From the Cupressaceae family, Thuja occidentalis is native to northeastern North America. It reaches a height of 15 to 20 m, with a naturally conical habit. Its trunk has a highly decorative reddish-brown bark. The Canadian Arborvitae, also known as the Eastern Arborvitae or White Cedar of Canada, has given rise to numerous cultivars selected for their ornamental qualities, such as two golden varieties, 'Golden Smaragd' and 'Sunny Smaragd'. The latter, a recent Dutch creation by Ets Hoogenraad, stands out from the former, a Polish creation by Edward Kubik, with its brighter yellow colour that persists throughout the year, and its faster growth. It forms a dense, upright conifer with a perfect pyramidal shape, reaching a height of 2 to 2.5 m and a width of 1 m after 10 years. Its flattened, short branches are covered with overlapping, golden yellow, scale-like leaves that remain vibrant all year round. They may turn orange in cold weather. This variety thrives in full sun and partial shade, where its foliage remains golden.

Low-maintenance and luminous 'Sunny Smaragd' Western Arborvitae will find its place in any garden. Plant it in a large rock garden, individually in a small garden, or in a mass alongside the David Austin rose 'Malvern Hills' with yellow flowers and the perennial geranium 'Rozanne' with numerous large blue flowers. It performs well in pots and does not brown, making it perfect for your terrace. With its fast growth, it is more suitable for use as a hedge than its close cousin 'Golden Smaragd'.