Golden Arborvitae Live Tree – Thuja occidentalis ‘Aurea Nana’ – 8-14″ Tall – 1qt Pot – Outdoor

Overview

Introduce a burst of radiant color to your landscape with the stunning golden arborvitae live tree. This exquisite dwarf evergreen shrubs variety, scientifically known as Thuja occidentalis ‘Aurea Nana’, is celebrated for its dense, vibrant golden-yellow foliage that maintains its brilliant hue throughout the year. Perfect for adding a touch of elegance and structure to any garden, this live plant arrives ready for planting, typically measuring 8-14 inches tall in a 1-quart pot. Whether you’re designing a formal border, enhancing a rock garden, or seeking a captivating container specimen, the golden arborvitae live tree offers unparalleled beauty and resilience. Its compact growth habit makes it an ideal choice for both spacious gardens and smaller urban settings, providing continuous visual interest without demanding excessive space or complex care.

Originating from Asia, this particular cultivar, ‘Aurea Nana’, is a testament to nature’s artistry, offering a unique texture and color that stands out amongst other evergreens. It’s not just an ornamental plant; it’s a living sculpture that evolves with the seasons, always retaining its golden glow. This thuja occidentalis plant is a fantastic choice for gardeners looking for a low-maintenance yet high-impact addition to their outdoor spaces. Its adaptability and striking appearance make it a favorite for various landscaping projects, ensuring a vibrant and cheerful presence in your garden year-round.

Key Benefits

The golden arborvitae live tree offers a multitude of advantages, making it a highly sought-after plant for diverse garden designs. Its unique characteristics contribute significantly to both aesthetic appeal and garden functionality. Investing in a thuja occidentalis plant means embracing year-round beauty and ease of care.

• Year-Round Golden Foliage: Enjoy consistent, bright golden-yellow color throughout all seasons, providing a cheerful and vibrant focal point even in winter when other plants are dormant. This continuous display is a hallmark of the golden arborvitae live tree.
• Versatile Landscaping Use: Excellent for creating eye-catching hedges, defining borders, adding texture to rock gardens, or serving as a stunning specimen in containers. Its adaptability makes it a perfect ornamental landscape plants choice for diverse outdoor settings.
• Compact Dwarf Size: Reaches a mature size of 3-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, making it ideal for smaller gardens, urban landscapes, or areas where space is a consideration. This dwarf evergreen shrubs variety is manageable and attractive, fitting into various design schemes.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, it is relatively drought-tolerant and requires minimal pruning to maintain its attractive shape, freeing up your time for other gardening tasks. This makes golden arborvitae care straightforward and rewarding.
• Hardy & Resilient: Thrives in USDA Zones 5–9, demonstrating good cold hardiness and resistance to common pests and diseases, ensuring a long-lasting and healthy plant that will enhance your garden for years.
• Full Sun Performance: Develops its most intense golden color when planted in full sun, maximizing its visual impact in your garden and ensuring the foliage truly shines.
• Deer Resistant: Generally not preferred by deer, offering a good option for areas where deer browsing is a concern, helping to protect your landscape investment.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your golden arborvitae live tree is straightforward, ensuring it thrives and displays its brilliant golden foliage for years to come. This resilient thuja occidentalis plant prefers specific conditions to reach its full potential. For optimal health and color, providing the right environment is key. Ensure your golden arborvitae care routine covers these essential aspects.

Sunlight Requirements: The golden arborvitae live tree performs best and exhibits its most vibrant golden color when planted in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. While it can tolerate partial shade, the foliage color may be less intense. Ensure it’s not overshadowed by larger trees or structures that could block essential light. Soil & Watering: This evergreen prefers well-drained, fertile soil. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soils, as this can lead to root rot. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter to improve drainage. Once established, the golden arborvitae is moderately drought-tolerant, but regular watering is crucial during its first growing season to help establish a strong root system. Water deeply when the top few inches of soil feel dry, especially during hot, dry periods. Overwatering should be avoided. Climate & Zones: Hardy in USDA Zones 5–9, this plant can withstand a range of temperatures. In colder zones, ensure it’s protected from harsh winter winds, which can cause foliage burn. Planting Time: The best time to plant your dwarf evergreen shrubs is in spring or early fall, allowing the roots to establish before extreme summer heat or winter cold. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep, ensuring the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Fertilization: A light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can promote healthy growth. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can harm the plant. Pruning: Minimal pruning is typically needed for the ‘Aurea Nana’ cultivar. Light shaping can be done in late winter or early spring to maintain its desired form. Avoid heavy pruning into old wood, as it may not regenerate, ensuring the plant maintains its natural beauty.

Size & Details

The golden arborvitae live tree ‘Aurea Nana’ is a compact and manageable evergreen, perfect for various landscape applications. When you receive your thuja occidentalis plant, it will typically be 8-14 inches tall, carefully cultivated in a 1qt pot, ensuring a healthy start for your garden. This initial size allows for easy planting and establishment. As it matures, this dwarf evergreen shrubs variety will reach an average height of 3-5 feet and spread 2-3 feet wide, creating a dense, rounded or conical shape. Its moderate growth rate means it will fill out nicely over time without becoming overgrown too quickly.

This plant ships as a healthy, living specimen in its nursery pot, with the root system intact and protected. Expect it to begin vigorous growth once planted in its permanent location, gradually developing its full, vibrant golden display. The mature size is ideal for creating impactful groupings, low hedges, or as a stand-alone specimen in small gardens and containers, making it a versatile choice among ornamental landscape plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this golden arborvitae get? A: The golden arborvitae live tree ‘Aurea Nana’ is a dwarf variety that typically reaches a mature size of 3-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Its compact nature makes it suitable for various garden sizes and containers.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This thuja occidentalis plant is an outdoor evergreen shrub. It is best suited for planting in gardens, landscapes, or outdoor containers where it can receive adequate sunlight and air circulation.
• Q: How much sunlight does the golden arborvitae need? A: For the best golden foliage color and overall health, the golden arborvitae live tree requires full sun exposure, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It can tolerate partial shade, but its color may be less intense.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, this dwarf evergreen shrubs variety is considered low-maintenance once established. It requires regular watering during its first year, but becomes moderately drought-tolerant afterwards. Minimal pruning is needed to maintain its shape, making golden arborvitae care simple.
• Q: What condition will the plant arrive in? A: Your golden arborvitae live tree will arrive as a healthy, live plant, typically 8-14 inches tall, and securely rooted in a 1-quart nursery pot. It will be carefully packaged to ensure its safety during transit.
• Q: When is the best time to plant golden arborvitae? A: The ideal times to plant your ornamental landscape plants are in the spring after the last frost, or in the early fall, allowing the plant sufficient time to establish its root system before extreme weather conditions.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: The golden arborvitae live tree is hardy in USDA Zones 5–9. It is well-adapted to survive winter conditions within these zones. In colder regions, some protection from harsh winter winds may be beneficial.
• Q: Can I grow golden arborvitae in a container? A: Yes, its compact size makes the golden arborvitae live tree an excellent choice for container growing. Ensure the container has good drainage and is large enough to accommodate its root system as it grows.
• Q: Is it deer resistant? A: Yes, the golden arborvitae live tree is generally considered deer resistant, making it a good choice for gardens where deer can be an issue.