Thuja occidentalis Degroots Spire - Canadian Arborvitae

The Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire' is a decorative conifer all year round, both easy to grow and low maintenance. Its very erect columnar habit, but with slightly irregular contours, gives it a natural appearance. Its green foliage, more or less dark emerald, is pleasant. Slow to medium growing, it will eventually form a column of 6m (19 ft 8 in) or more. Its small size makes it suitable for small gardens, whether planted alone or in a border. Elsewhere, it can also be used to create an attractive geometric line in a modern garden.

The Thuja occidentalis, the Canadian Arborvitae or Eastern White Cedar, is sometimes called the White Cedar of Canada or Balai. It is an evergreen conifer of the Cupressaceae family native to northeastern North America. It is distributed over a wide geographic area that perfectly reflects the plasticity of its living conditions. In nature, it reaches a height of 15 to 20m (49 ft 2 in to 65 ft 7 in), with a beautiful conical habit and a trunk covered with a very decorative bark. It is a perfectly hardy species, well adapted to temperate climates and poor, wet or occasionally dry soils. Its almost rot-proof, light, fragrant and easily flammable wood lends itself to many uses.

The variety 'Degroot's Spire' is relatively old. Constant DeGroot, production manager at Sheridan Nurseries (Canada), selected this cultivar from young seedlings in 1970, before disappearing the following year. It was only in 1980 that the variety was introduced to the market by Sheridan, who decided to name it in his honor. It is also known as 'Degroot's Emerald Spire' in reference to its elegant emerald green foliage. This conifer has a very erect columnar habit, but with slightly irregular contours. Several axes can develop at the same time, giving it a multi-headed top that is very attractive. This Thuja has a more natural, rather than sophisticated, appearance, which distinguishes it from varieties with almost too perfect shapes.
Slow to medium growing (15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 11.8 in) per year), it will reach a height of 2m (6 ft 7 in) to 2.50m (8 ft 2 in) in 10 years, with a spread of 60 to 80 cm. At maturity, it can reach a height of 6m (19 ft 8 in) or more with a spread of 1.25 to 1.50m (4 ft 1 in to 4 ft 11 in), making it suitable for planting in a small garden.
Very hardy (down to -25°C and below), it is not demanding in terms of soil type, being tolerant of neutral, acidic, and even slightly alkaline soils. It simply requires some moisture, as it does not tolerate dry conditions, especially over long periods. It is a virtually maintenance-free plant that does not need to be pruned.

The Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire' will be perfectly at home in a contemporary garden where its graphic habit will be well highlighted. In larger spaces, it will create magnificent lines to structure perspectives or emphasize the edges of a path. In a small garden, it can be planted alone, although some patience will be required before it visually fills its space! In a border, it can be paired with other graphic plants with a globose or weeping habit to create surprise, or with other foliage colours such as gold, purple, or blue. A Prunus cistena with purple leaves and abundant pale pink flowers will provide a changing touch throughout the seasons next to our evergreen Thuja. Conversely, a Taxus baccata Summergold, a golden yew with a spreading habit, will create a permanent contrasting scene, as will a small Cedar of the Himalayas Feeling Blue, with its gracefully trailing blue foliage.