Thuja Occidentalis "Globosa" Tom Thumb Arborvitae

edprocoat

edprocoat

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I seen this today and decided to buy it as I have no common sense when it comes to plant purchases. This little tree had a name tag on it and that name was used as the title of this thread, and what I recall from my latin from my youth Globosa means rounded or globular. When I seen the plant in its 1 gallon container amongst many others, it was the only one with a trunk larger than a pencil, I immediately took a shine to it. This tree is a twin trunk with the larger one being just over 1 1/2 inches across with the smaller one being a hair over 3/4's of an inch across. This plant is 13 inches high from the soil and 11 wide. It looks like it will make a lovely 6-8 inch plant with some work.

This is what I consider the front at the moment.


NewThuja by edprocoat, on Flickr

And this could be the back.


ThujaBack by edprocoat, on Flickr

I think its a nice little tree and would stake my reputation as the " World's Most Handsome Bonsai Guy " on that statement ! Now if you guys have seen an actual picture of me you may be inclined to think " I sure wish I had his mirror " :D

I do not know if this will backbud well, although it shows some signs of it with young sprouts near the soil line. I read the thread about the big thuja collected in canada and would like to add, Amkhalid I could be talked into a trade....

What do you think? Any advice would be appreciated.

ed
 
Is this single trunked? or at least fewer than 100? many of these things never get to a single trunk stage
 
TheSteve, no its twin trunked. I have a tough time getting pictures of plants that look good. If you read the post above you can see where I wrote the size of both the trunks measuring across them, not around them. The trunks are about 4 inches tall on the larger one and almost three inches tall on the smaller one, then there are many branches. I am hesitant to trim the bottom branches off to make a better view of the trunk as I am not sure how, or even if they back bud. By the way they had these in #1, #2 and #3 sizes at the nursery, mine was #1 looked like a 1 gallon container, and $11.67 total and it had a wider trunk than most if not all the bigger ones, and all the others were mostly single trunks with two exceptions, they then branch off into many branches.

ed
 
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Well now I feel like one of those guys who don't read the whole post....

sigh.

I'd thin it out a bunch and try to get some light into the interior. I don't know how well they back bud but I'm assuming they don't do it well. Other than that it's too hard to tell with all that foliage on it.
 
you might also just start guy wiring branches down to open it up until you get ready to start making selections....
 
TheSteve said:
you might also just start guy wiring branches down to open it up until you get ready to start making selections....
Click to expand...

Yes, this is what my plan for now is. I want to open it up and then decide where to remove growth and where to leave it.

ed
 
This is a very popular landscape ornamental around here. One thing I notice about them is that the fronds grow in a vertical plane as opposed to the wildtype where the fronds are more or less in a horizontal plane. When I look at the globosa, I see lots of wiring to rotate the fronds!

Don't be afraid to cut it back to get a better look. Thuja can be cut any time during the growing season, especially when healthy like this one.

p.s. no tradesies :)
 
This is a very popular landscape ornamental around here. One thing I notice about them is that the fronds grow in a vertical plane as opposed to the wildtype where the fronds are more or less in a horizontal plane. When I look at the globosa, I see lots of wiring to rotate the fronds!

Don't be afraid to cut it back to get a better look. Thuja can be cut any time during the growing season, especially when healthy like this one.

p.s. no tradesies :)

Oh sure, Mr. Stingy !! :D

I am glad to hear they cut back with no worry, I suppose that means they will back bud too ? You are ight about the branches growing vertically, the ones above the trunk all are straight shoots upward. I was reading the tag that came on it and with my reading glasses on I see in the planting instructions it says " loosen the rootball and spread the roots out to stimulate vigorous growth" which has filled me with hope as it seems if this is the advise they give thats about all I would do is spread it out as its only in a 1 gallon pot.

I would be willing to toss in a few dollars in the trade too, let me know if you reconsider, eh?


Seriously though that Thuja you posted was outstanding, and I realize that my whole collection would not be a worthy trade, you need a good kidney by any chance?

ed
 
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Worst part is... I DID read the whole post. It went in one eye and out the other I guess... Getting old sucks
 
The carnage begins.
Chopped it down, wired it and trimmed the solid mass of roots.

Thujatop by edsnapshot, on Flickr

Put it in a large pot with room to grow, large for me at least.


Thujapot by edsnapshot, on Flickr

Size reference standard issue U.S. coke can.



Thujaref by edsnapshot, on Flickr

The back I guess?


Thujabak by edsnapshot, on Flickr

Now if it lives through the torture I will be happy as a clam.

ed
 
I don't see that the wiring is creating much movement. You'll want to put some exaggerated bends into each trunk and branch to allow for springing back and thickening (which mutes bends over time too). It's also best to wire everything on the tree. On this one, wiring the green foliage wouldn't be out of line since many of the whorls will need to be rotated into a more horizontal plane. Easier to do it now than wait until it hardens off and resists your efforts.
 
It's getting there..TheSteve gave you some very good advice. Wiring the branches down and horizontal and also the tufts of foliage to be horizontal, rather than vertical. If left untrained, everything will grow to look like fans that are sticking straight up.

I think this tree does have potential. If you are planning on keeping all the trunks and branches, you could create something like this. Basically all the trunks and branches working together to create one nice image.

I hope this was helpful.

Rob

7332497408_80c8060bee[1].jpg
 
TheSteve, yea I know I wanted to open it up and see what might grow. I am out of wire and I did not have the energy after work today to walk in and buy wire, nearly did not make it off the roof.

October, thats the style I had in mind beleive it or else! I am going to wire it out some more but my wire has disappeared again so all I have right now is the fine wire that barely holds the small branch on the right and the large aluminum wire that I have on the one piece of branch. I wanted to buy some wire this afternoon but I had to repair and coat a 3 story metal standing seam house roof today and once again I realize that I am not the man I used to be, 15 years ago when I last done this job it took me less than 5 hours to complete, today it took me 11 hours and I thought during the last hour I was going to need to call a firetruck to get me down from up there as my ankles to my knees were one large cramp. Maybe tommorrow if I wake up alive.

ed
 
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