Tui is a group of perennial evergreen coniferous shrubs and trees of the Cypress family. They grow mainly in mixed forests and in areas with a mild, temperate and warm climate. Oriental thuja native to East Asia. But over the past 50 years, they have become very popular among domestic gardeners as home plants.
Secrets of the East
Thuja has always been respected among the inhabitants of the East. It was believed that this plant is sacred, it was planted near mosques and holy places. Thuja translated from Greek means "to sacrifice." In the old days, during the time of sacrifices, logs from this tree were placed in sacrificial fires. The French, on the other hand, considered this to be the “tree of life." It served as a kind of amulet for houses and was actively used as a medicinal plant.
Oriental arborvitae are phytoncide plants. Their needles release essential oils into the air, which are harmful to many pathogens. Many useful compounds have been found in the wood and needles of thuja that have a beneficial effect on human health. Since ancient times, plant seeds have been used as a means of strengthening and toning the body. By decoction and tinctures, the Chinese treated diseases of the respiratory system, kidneys, liver, and bladder. Thuja helped with rheumatism and gout, was a popular hemostatic and expectorant.
Thuja Aurea Nana
Tui have only six varieties, but the thuja oriental "aurea nana" has received the greatest recognition as a plant for apartments and offices. It is a small and compact shrub with a conical or ovoid crown. Coniferous leaves are soft, fan-shaped, firmly pressed to the trunk and directed upwards. The “paws” of the needles have a bright light green color, which on young shoots may have a lemon or golden hue. Eastern thuja change their color with the onset of cold weather. Crohn acquires carmine-red brown shades.
By autumn, thuja, like many conifers, acquire small cones - seeds. They are only 2-3 centimeters in size, tiny scales are armed with curved hooks to protect against uninvited guests. Seeds can be green or blue, which, when ripe, will turn brown.
We grow at home
Cutting and sowing seeds - these are two ways that thuja propagates. Growing at home does not require special attention and effort, but it is worth considering that the plant will grow slowly. During the year, the shrub adds no more than 8-10 centimeters in growth.
It is necessary to take into account certain subtleties. There are about 60 species of thuja . All of them can differ both in color and in the shape of their crowns. When propagated by seedlings, seedlings can significantly differ in the shape, color and type of needles from the mother plant. If you want your thuja to have a certain appearance, you should stop on cuttings. This method will allow you to get a plant with maternal data. For example, the thuja orienta is presented below - a photo of cuttings already rooted and planted in the ground.
Seeds
Seeds have a high similarity and the “sleeping” embryo, so that it begins to develop, it will be necessary to resort to the method of stratification. How it's done?
Seeds need to be collected with thuja in the fall and placed for wintering in a cold place, simulating natural conditions. With the onset of warming, when you transfer them to a warm place, the seeds will feel the approach of "spring" and begin to germinate.
There are two methods:
- Take a flower pot and fill it with a mixture of earth, sand and peat (1: 0.5: 2). After planting the seed to a depth of 1 centimeter and slightly moisten the ground. After, put the pot in the bag, tie it and put it in a cool place (with a temperature of 3-5 ° C). This may be the basement or the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, as convenient. From time to time you need to untie the pot and check if everything is in order, the earth should not mold or, on the contrary, dry. After 2-3 months, the pot is placed in a warm place (20-23 ° C).
- Seeds wrapped in cloth are kept in the refrigerator in wet sphagnum or sawdust. After 2-3 months, they land in the prepared loose earth, and the pots are placed in a warm place. Usually oriental thuja seedlings give after 1.5-2 months. In this case, you need to monitor moderate watering and avoid direct sunlight.
Cuttings
In July-August, last year's well-developed lateral branches with a piece of mother wood (heel) are cut off from an adult plant. The lower needles must be removed from them, and then installed in water for rooting. To speed up the process, you can use growth stimulants. After the stalk has given root, it is planted in the prepared soil.
Today, oriental arborvitae can often be seen both in prestigious office premises and in residential buildings. The plant does not require special attention, it is resistant to cold and drought. Thuja watering should be moderate, and it is better to place it on the north or west side of the house, avoiding direct sunlight. These plants are not just beautiful - they fully purify the air, saturating it with healthy fragrances.