Thuja occidentalis Wareana Lutescens - Arborvitae

The Canadian Thuja 'Wareana Lutescens', known as Thuja occidentalis 'Wareana Lutescens' in Latin, is a very old variety dating back to 1883-1884. This conifer is still appreciated for its dense conical habit and its decorative foliage all year round, green-yellow in summer, highlighted with golden white on a bronze background in winter. It is a very hardy cultivar, not demanding on soil type, and it is not difficult to grow in well-drained, but rather moist soil, in a sunny location.

Thuja occidentalis 'Wareana Lutescens' is an evergreen conifer of the Cupressaceae family. The species, the Eastern White Cedar or Northern White Cedar, is sometimes called the White Cedar or Arborvitae. It is an evergreen conifer native to the northeastern part of North America. It is distributed over a wide geographical area that perfectly reflects the flexibility of its living conditions. In the wild it reaches a height of 15 to 20 metres, adopting a beautiful conical habit, and a trunk covered with very decorative bark. It is a very hardy species, well adapted to temperate climates and poor, moist or occasionally dry soils. Its almost rot-resistant, light, fragrant, and easily flammable wood is suitable for many uses. It has given rise to more than 300 cultivars.

The 'Wareana Lutescens' cultivar is characterised by a dense pyramidal to conical habit and foliage forming flat tufts of changing colour. It grows slowly, reaching about 4 to 5 metres in height and 2 to 3 metres in width after many years. Its foliage is a fairly light green-yellow in summer, taking on bronze tones in winter while retaining light touches of barely golden white. The needles of this thuja are evergreen and have a structure reminiscent of coral. This foliage resembles lacework, as the twigs have dark tips on a light background. The Canada Thuja 'Wareana Lutescens' does not flower, and its bark, although discreet, contributes to the winter interest of the plant.

The Canada Thuja 'Wareana Lutescens' is generally planted as a single specimen. Its moderate growth is suitable for medium-sized gardens. Its tolerance to pollution allows it to be adopted in urban environments as well. This bright thuja can be associated with Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera', Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star', Picea glauca 'Conica', and Taxus baccata 'Fastigiata Robusta', for example. These conifers, with their green, silver, and blue tones, harmonise with the pale yellow foliage of the Canada Thuja 'Wareana Lutescens'. You can mix them with heathers, as these shrubs form beautiful associations with conifers.