Description of the flat plant plant, the rules for planting and caring for the eastern thuja on the garden plot, the rules of reproduction, methods of combating diseases and pests, cognitive facts, varieties.
Platycladus can be found under the name corresponding to the transliteration in Latin - Platycladus. Also in some botanical sources there is the name Biota or Eastern Tuya. The plant belongs to the Cypress family (Cupressaceae). The genus is monotypic, containing only one evergreen representative of the flora - Platycladus orientalis. However, today there are many garden forms bred thanks to the efforts of breeders.
In nature, Biota is mainly distributed in Korean and Chinese territories, but thanks to naturalization, today it grows in many areas around the planet. In its natural environment, the flatfish prefers to settle mainly at an absolute height within the range of 300–3300 m above sea level. The plant is most comfortable in temperate climatic zones, it can grow well in forests, in the vicinity of oaks and maples, spruces and pines or ash trees, as in the form of a tapeworm, or form small groups on a rather depleted substrate.
| Family name | Cypress |
| Growing period | Perennials |
| Vegetation form | Tree-like |
| Breeding method | Mainly seed, but rarely vegetative (rooting of cuttings or cuttings) |
| Landing period in open ground | Depending on the root system: open - from mid-March to mid-April, closed during spring-summer |
| Landing rules | The distance between seedlings during the formation of a hedge is left 1–2 m |
| Priming | Light and calcareous, fertile loamy |
| Soil acidity values, pH | 6, 5-7 (neutral) or slightly alkaline (7-8) |
| Lighting degree | Sunny and open place or partial shade |
| Humidity parameters | Two months after planting once a week, then in moderation. Adult plants are drought tolerant |
| Special care rules | Top dressing is needed for young plants |
| Height values | 5-10 m |
| Inflorescence shape or type of flowers | Male and female in the form of cones |
| Flower color | At the beginning bluish green, then reddish brown |
| Seed ripening time | October November |
| Decorative period | Year-round |
| Application in landscape design | As a tapeworm or in group plantings, for the formation of alleys and hedges, green sculptures |
| USDA zone | 4–8 |
Its name is that in Russian, that in Latin the plant received due to the outline of the branches - they differ in plane and radial location to the trunk, which form a kind of lamellar system. The binomial term Platycladus has a similar designation - "with wide or flattened shoots." The eastern biota is called mainly in Asian countries, because according to ancient beliefs and because of its medicinal properties, it is nicknamed "the tree of life".
All varieties are plants with a low growth rate. The height of the shoots does not exceed 5–10 m. However, if the growing conditions are comfortable, then some specimens reach 18 meters, in unfavorable the flatworm takes the form of a shrub. The root system is located shallow below the soil surface. The trunk of the eastern thuja is usually straight, when the tree is mature, then its diameter can be measured in 1 m, while at the base there is a division into several upright stems. The color of the thin bark on the trunk is very light reddish-brown, tends to flake off in thin elongated plates.
The shoots of the biota, as mentioned above, grow vertically, forming a kind of flat-pressed fan. The branches are tightly pressed against one another, thus forming a decorative pyramidal crown. Its diameter varies within 8–11 m. Shoot bark is colored yellowish-red. The needles of platycladus have a close pressing to the branches, resembling scales. When the plant is young - only 1–2 years old, the needles have the shape of needles. The needles have a sharp point at the tops, their length is 1–3 mm. Its color is light green, but with the arrival of the winter season it acquires a brown tone.
Curious
The squid differs from other varieties of thuja in that its needles are devoid of resinous glands.
Male cones in Platicladus are called microstrobilis and have a greenish-yellow tint. Their outlines are elongated, the length reaches 2-3 mm, they mainly grow on the tops of branches. Pollination occurs at the beginning of April. Megastrobilis are female cones that reach about 2 cm in length. Each of them weighs 8-12 grams. They also crown the ends of some shoots. Their shape is spherical, but there are hook-like protrusions on the surface. Until the buds are ripe, they are soft to the touch, and they are covered by a bloom of bluish-green color.
Curious
Ripening of the cones of the flat-headed plant begins in the second year after they have been pollinated. Then their surface becomes lignified, takes on a reddish-brown hue, and they begin to open.
Megastrobils are composed of 6–8 scales with an upward direction and splicing. Each of the scales contains one or a couple of seeds. The seeds of the biota are characterized by ovoid outlines and a thickened brownish-brown shell. The surface of the shell is glossy, with a whitish mark at the base. The seed can be up to 6 mm long and 3-4 mm wide. The seed material does not have wings; it ripens in the autumn period, throughout October-November.
The plant, like all evergreen conifers, pleases the eye with rich greenish, bluish and blue shades. It takes a little effort and it will be able to decorate the personal plot for many years.
Thuja eastern: planting and care in a personal plot
- Landing place biota can be picked up in shade, since the plant is more enduring than other types of thuja. However, the best development takes place in open and sunny locations. If the shadow is very thick, then the tree will not form a crown with beautiful outlines. It is important to remember that the eastern thuja does not have high frost resistance.
- Soil for flatteners select a light and calcareous, fertile and loamy substrate is suitable. Waterlogged, dense and heavy soils will negatively affect it. If the landing site is northern, it is recommended to use the quickly freezing sandy loam with good drainage.
- Purchase of biota seedlings. Here you can follow the rules that are true for all conifers. The root system should not be bare, the earthy clod that surrounds it should be moist or the seedling has a closed root system - planted in a container. Branches and needles are characterized by a healthy appearance.
- Plane planting. Seedlings with an open root system (purchased from a nursery or dug out in the forest) should be planted starting in mid-March and ending in the second decade of April. If the specimen has a closed root system (it grows in a container), then they are engaged in planting throughout the spring-summer period. You can use ordinary black soil when planting. The hole in which the eastern thuja seedling will be placed is dug out a little more than the volume of the plant's root system. It is recommended to lay a drainage layer at the bottom (for example, crushed stone, expanded clay or broken brick). Such drainage is sprinkled with a small layer of substrate and a biota seedling is placed on it. The root collar should be slightly recessed, as this will stimulate the development of new root processes. The pit is filled to the top with soil mixture, abundant watering is carried out and the trunk circle is mulched. The thickness of such a layer will be 5–7 cm. Sawdust, peat chips or dry soil mixture can act as mulch. If you plan to form a hedge or group planting, then between the seedlings should be retreating about 1-2 meters.
- Watering when caring for a flat plant, young seedlings are very necessary, since over time the drought resistance of trees increases. For young plants, it is recommended to moisten the soil every 7 days for a couple of months from the moment of planting. Regular watering of such a plan is also necessary in the future for dwarf varieties. Sprinkle once a week during the summer months using a garden hose.
- Fertilizers when caring for a flattened plant, it will be required after planting only if the soil on the site is poor or when planting, no top dressing was applied to the soil. If all the rules are followed, then the first time you need to fertilize the biota after 2 years. It is recommended to use complete mineral complexes, such as, for example, Kemira-Universal. The preparation for 1 m2 should be used approximately 80-100 grams. The plant is fed in the spring, when the active growing season has begun; in the winter months, fertilizing is not applied, but they are not recommended in the fall, so as not to stimulate the growth of young branches that can freeze over the winter. Adults do not need feeding so much. Fertilizers are scattered on wet soil, immediately after the snow cover disappears. It is recommended to remember that the concentration of the drug must be weak, otherwise it may cause burns. It is unacceptable for the flathead to use organic matter - manure, bird droppings or feces.
- Pruning for the eastern thuja it is necessary to give the crown the required outlines. This is especially true when growing biota in a hedge. With the arrival of spring, the branches are shortened by a third of their length. Also, dried, diseased or broken off shoots are subject to cutting.
- Biota transplant will not be difficult, since the plant easily tolerates such manipulations. For this, the time is chosen in spring or in the first week of June. If the specimen has a formed root system, then it can be transplanted in the summer or autumn period. When the plant is large in size, it is recommended to prepare an earthen lump before transplanting. To do this, along the circumference, stepping back from the trunk, the length of the projection of the crown, entrenching is carried out and it is left that way until next year. During this period, the growth of young root shoots will occur. With the arrival of the above period, you can do a transplant.
- Wintering of flatfish. The frost resistance of the plant, in contrast to the western thuja, is not so high and young specimens need to be covered for the winter. For this, spruce branches are used. Such a shelter needs to be removed only with the arrival of April, since one should remember about the aggressiveness of the spring sun, which can damage the needles - burns will appear on it and the needles will turn yellow.
- General advice on the care of biota. After each watering or rain, it is recommended to loosen the soil in the near-trunk circle. If it is taken up by a crust, then access to the roots, both air and water, will be difficult. The depth of loosening should not be more than 7–8 cm. To prevent the crown from breaking off under the weight of the snow mass, it should be lightly tied with twine.
- The use of a flat plane in landscape design. The plant is decorative and can be grown in climates with not too harsh winters. The eastern thuja has proven itself well in the formation of hedges, but at the same time, in group plantings or as a tapeworm, the biota looks good. Due to its plasticity, a tree is used to form phyto-figures by cutting branches.
Read also about growing junipers on the site.
Flattened breeding rules
Often, in order to get young bushes of thuja orientalis, it is recommended to use the seed propagation method, but vegetative propagation is also successful (rooting of cuttings or layering).
Reproduction of the flattened by seeds
This method is characterized by the fact that the grown seedlings may lose the characteristics of the parent plant. Each of the seeds has a dormant embryo in it. To awaken it, in nature, seeds fall to the ground and under the snow they wait out the winter, and then germinate successfully, but at home, stratification will have to be carried out independently. For this, the seeds are mixed with coarse river sand or sawdust and placed in conditions with a temperature of about 0-5 degrees for 2-3 months.
After stratification, the seed is sown in seedling boxes filled with peat-sand or any other nutritious and loose soil. Seeds of biota are germinated at heat indicators of 20-23 degrees. The place where the seedling box will be installed should have good lighting, but shade from direct sunlight. Crop care consists in regularly moistening the soil and keeping it constantly moist. To do this, you can put a piece of glass on top of the container or wrap it in a transparent plastic wrap. But then it will be necessary to ventilate daily for 10-15 to remove the accumulated condensate. When 1, 5–2 months have passed after sowing, you can see the first shoots of the flatworm.
After the seedlings grow up, they are dived into separate pots and continue to grow until they reach 2–6 years of age, while their growth rate is very slow. On the steams, there are young needles, reminiscent of needles, which persist for a long period of time. Often a plant that has reached the age of 3-5 years has both types of needles - needle-like and in the form of scales.
Reproduction of the flat plant by cuttings
To do this, in the autumn, it is recommended to take blanks from the tops of last year's lateral shoots, the length of which will not exceed 0.5 m or 2-3 year old lignified branches. In this case, the stalk should have a piece of mature wood - a heel. Therefore, the cuttings are not cut, but simply torn from the branches.
Important
It is the biota cuttings harvested in the fall that root best of all, and those that are taken in the spring-summer period often dry out.
Before planting, the cuttings are placed in a container of water for several hours. After they are planted in pots with a soil mixture of sod soil, peat crumbs and sand (parts are equal). When planting, the workpieces are buried so that the remaining needles do not come into contact with the ground. Planting is performed to a depth of 2-3 cm. Before that, the heel can be treated with a root stimulator (for example, Kornevin).
The humidity indicators in the room where the cuttings of the eastern thuja will stand should be about 70%. For this, it is recommended to install special air humidifiers nearby. In the process of caring for cuttings, it is required to keep the soil moist (but not flooded). To do this, it is best to do not watering, but spraying. You also need good lighting, which can be arranged by supplementary lighting with phytolamps.
Reproduction of the flattened by layering
To do this, in the spring, it is recommended to choose a horizontally growing shoot closer to the surface of the soil - lower or creeping along it. A depression is dug in the soil where the branch is laid. Then, in the place where it comes into contact with the substrate, it is required to fix it (use a stiff wire or a wooden slingshot). After that, the cuttings are sprinkled with soil, and the care for it will be the same as for the parent biota. Even if root shoots appear in the cuttings during the growing season, they need to be separated only next spring.
It happens that the eastern thuja is propagated by dividing specimens with a large number of trunks.
Read also how to reproduce cypress at home
Methods of combating diseases and pests when growing thuja oriental
Biota, unlike other representatives of the Cypress and conifers family, has a fairly high resistance to diseases and pest attacks. However, with high humidity, cold temperatures in summer or thickened plantings, it can be influenced by fungal infections (powdery mildew or gray rot). The disease can be manifested by yellowing of the needles and its subsequent drying out. To combat fungal manifestations, it is recommended to apply treatment with fungicidal preparations, such as Bordeaux liquid, Fundazol and Topaz. Usually, 10 grams of the product is diluted in a 10-liter bucket of water. After 14 days, the treatment must be repeated.
If a sticky bloom appears on the branches, then you should pay attention, since this is evidence of a pest such as aphids. This insect looks like a green small bug and can populate a tree with whole colonies. Insects feed on Platicladus juices and so, lead to its weakening, drying out of needles and shoots. In addition, the pest can carry incurable viral diseases, so it should be destroyed immediately upon detection. For the fight, it is recommended to use modern broad-spectrum insecticides, for example Karbofos, Aktara or Aktellik. After 7-10 days, the treatment is repeated and carried out until the insects are completely destroyed.
Cognitive facts about biota
In China, it is believed that biota is associated with long life and positive energy. In all likelihood, this philosophy of Buddhists is based on the longevity of a coniferous tree, which can grow in one place for 100-200 years. At the same time, in the cold climatic conditions of the north-western regions of China, the platycladus needles never change their shade and always remain saturated green. On Chinese territory, it was customary to plant such representatives of the flora near the temples where Buddha is worshiped. So, for example, in Beijing, you can personally see specimens of the eastern thuja, which were planted almost a millennium ago and therefore they are considered symbols of the city.
In Chinese medicine, the flatworm is used to purify the air due to its bactericidal properties, as well as to treat colds.
Despite the fact that earlier the plant was part of the genus Thuja, although there are many similar characteristics, there are also differences, we will dwell on them:
- The place of natural distribution of the western thuja is in the eastern regions of the North American continent, while the biota grows in dry regions in the north of China and in Iraq.
- In a flattened trunk, there may be several trunks and the branching comes from the base, the same owner of a single trunk.
- Thuja shoots do not form plates, their shortened length branches are directed from the trunk in different directions, platycladus branches are flattened, their location in relation to the trunk is radial, forming a lamellar system.
- The foliage (needles) of the biota is scaly, with rounded outlines and an oblong groove on the apical scale in the center, the arrangement of the needles is criss-cross, and in the thuja the needles are flat, on the central needles there is a rounded protruding resinous gland, the size is smaller.
- The color of the western thuja needles is green on top, the reverse side is pale light green, with the arrival of winter the color becomes greenish-brown, and in the flatfish the color of the needles is matte dark emerald, becoming brown in winter.
The cones and seeds of these plants also differ.
Biota is characterized by light and strong wood, therefore, this material is applicable for the manufacture of interior items, but it is not used for external finishing work. With the help of a flattener, it is customary to form hedges and adapt for a curly haircut when green sculptures can be created.
If the cultivation of plasticadus is carried out in areas with a cold climate, then its growth, which is already slow, will greatly slow down.
Description of varieties of thuja eastern
Today there are a large number of highly decorative varieties and forms that are successful when grown in areas with a mild climate as a garden or park culture. But the following are recognized as the best:
Area (Aurea)
is a slow-growing and thermophilic plant, bred around 1878. The height of the trunk is no more than a few meters.
Area Nana
also found under the name Thuja orientalis forma aurea nana. The variety, characterized by dwarf sizes, was introduced into cultivation in 1939. A plant with a shrub growth and an ovoid or conical crown. It is formed by branches having a fan-shaped arrangement. For a decade after planting, 0.7–1 m can be measured in height, for older specimens they do not exceed 2.5 m. Annually, branches grow only 8–10 cm. The needles of a yellowish-golden color form such a dense crown with shoots. The brightest canary color on young branches. With the arrival of winter, the color of the needles changes to copper.
On an adult bush, rounded cones are formed. Young cones are painted in a creamy lemon color, there is a thick waxy bloom on the surface. When the ripening of the cones is completed, they acquire a dark tone, dry out and open, giving access to several seeds.
The plant does not show special preferences for the soil, is characterized by frost resistance, but at the same time, it is recommended to cover young specimens with non-woven material for the winter months. It should not be grown in low-lying places where cold air is collected; it feels comfortable in a sunny location that is protected from gusts of wind. It can be used for growing because of its small size in rockeries or small stone gardens, it is used for landscaping borders and hedges, as well as green phytocompositions.
The variety received an award from the British Royal Horticultural Society for its special characteristics, ease of cultivation and decorativeness. The tree was first grown at the beginning of the 19th century (1804) on the lands of Great Britain and is the most popular there, with the number of forms reaching two hundred.
Justynka
may be called Thuja orientalis Justynka. This variety is characterized by dwarf parameters in height, so after 10 years of cultivation, the specimens do not exceed 1 m, the growth of shoots per year is only 8-10 cm. Breeders from Poland were engaged in breeding. It differs from the basic type by a crown of columnar outlines and a rich color of dark emerald needles. The crown is formed by branches with a fan-shaped compacted arrangement. The plant does not show great demands on the soil. Recommended for use in small gardens and rock gardens.
Caprasoides (Cupressoidess)
also called Thuja orientalis forma cupressoidess. Has a characteristic crown of pyramidal outlines, reminiscent of cypress.
Magnifica
or Fabulous, looks like a low tree, compact in shape. Its height varies within 2–3 m. The crown is formed by dense-growing shoots and takes the shape of a skittle. The color of the needles is characterized by golden tones. The true origin of the variety has not been identified.
Sieboldii
a dwarf tree in which delicate branches form a rounded or ovoid crown. The height of a plant in 10 years is measured by one meter. Shoots grow vertically, their arrangement is regular. The color of the needles is light green, but with the arrival of autumn, its color changes to yellowish-golden. The best location would be a place with protection from the winds.
Franky Boy
the owner of a conical crown, with small ovoid outlines. The growth rate is very slow. Shoots are characterized by cord-like contours on which golden-yellowish needles grow. If you measure a ten-year-old plant, then its height will be 0.6 m with a crown width of about 0.8 m. To keep the appearance attractive, regular pruning of last year's branches is recommended.
Blue cone
or Smoke cone - the name emphasizes the color of the needles of a bluish-green color scheme. The crown has a pin-shaped contour.
Meldensis
also characterized by needles of a greenish-blue tint and a crown in the form of a column.
Pyramidalis aurea
the growth rate of this variety is relatively fast. The shoots are covered with golden needles.
Elegantissima
can reach a height of 5 m by shoots. The crown, formed by the branches, takes the shape of a skittle, the branches are covered with golden-brownish needles.
Video about growing a flat plant in the open field:
