Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae Live Plant – Thuja occidentalis – 4-6″ Tall, 1qt Pot, Evergreen Shrub

Overview

Enhance your garden with the distinctive Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant. This exceptional cultivar of Thuja occidentalis, also known as ‘Bobozam’, is celebrated for its naturally compact and perfectly spherical growth habit, eliminating the need for constant trimming. Originating from North America, this compact evergreen shrub offers year-round beauty with its unique, fine, and soft-textured foliage. It’s an ideal choice for gardeners seeking a low-maintenance yet visually striking addition to their outdoor spaces. Whether you’re designing a border, creating a rock garden, or adding structure to foundation plantings, the Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant provides reliable evergreen appeal. This particular offering is a young plant, standing 4-6 inches tall and expertly cultivated in a 1-quart pot, ensuring it’s ready for immediate planting upon arrival. Its robust nature and adaptability make it a favorite for various landscape applications, bringing a touch of refined elegance to any setting. The ‘Bobozam’ cultivar is a true gem, promising a dense, rounded form that remains consistent throughout the seasons.

Key Benefits

The Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant offers numerous advantages that make it a superb choice for a wide range of garden designs and gardener skill levels. Its unique characteristics contribute significantly to both aesthetic appeal and practical landscaping solutions.

• Exceptional Compact Form: This arborvitae naturally grows into a perfectly rounded, ball-like shape, requiring minimal to no pruning to maintain its distinctive form. This makes it a truly low maintenance evergreen option for busy gardeners.
• Year-Round Evergreen Interest: With its vibrant green, soft-textured foliage, the Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant provides consistent color and structure throughout all seasons, even in winter, adding vital visual appeal when other plants are dormant.
• Versatile Landscaping Use: Ideal for a multitude of applications, including borders, rock gardens, foundation plantings, and even container gardening. Its moderate mature size of 2-3 feet tall and wide makes it suitable for small gardens and decorative landscapes where space is a consideration. This makes it a perfect dwarf arborvitae for gardens.
• Durable and Hardy: Tolerant of a wide range of conditions, this compact evergreen shrub is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8, making it a reliable choice for many climates. It’s known for its robust nature once established.
• Fine, Soft-Textured Foliage: Unlike some conifers, the ‘Mr. Bowling Ball’ features delicate, feathery foliage that is soft to the touch, providing an interesting textural contrast in the garden.
• Deer Resistance: While no plant is entirely deer-proof, arborvitae, and particularly this cultivar, is generally less favored by deer compared to many other landscape plants, offering some protection in areas with deer pressure.
• Enhances Curb Appeal: Its neat, tidy, and unique spherical shape instantly elevates the aesthetic of any home or garden, providing a sophisticated and polished look. This landscape arborvitae plant is a real head-turner.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. This hardy plant thrives with proper attention to its basic needs, ensuring vigorous growth and a beautiful, compact form. Understanding the specific requirements for this Thuja occidentalis Bobozam cultivar will help it flourish in your garden.

Sunlight Requirements: The ‘Mr. Bowling Ball’ arborvitae performs best in full sun to partial shade. For optimal density and the most vibrant green foliage, aim for at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. While it can tolerate some shade, too much shade may lead to a looser growth habit and less dense foliage. In hotter climates, a location that receives some afternoon shade can be beneficial to prevent scorching.

Watering Schedule and Soil Moisture: This plant prefers moist, well-drained soil. Water regularly, especially during its establishment period (the first year after planting), to ensure the root system develops strongly. Once established, it has moderate watering needs. Check the soil moisture by sticking your finger about an inch or two deep; if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to root rot. Good drainage is crucial for the health of your compact evergreen shrub.

Soil Type and Drainage: The Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant is adaptable to a variety of soil types but thrives in well-drained, loamy soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH. Amend heavy clay soils with organic matter like compost to improve drainage and aeration. For sandy soils, adding compost will help retain moisture and nutrients. Ensure the planting site does not retain standing water after rain.

Temperature Range and USDA Hardiness Zone: This dwarf arborvitae for gardens is remarkably cold-hardy, thriving in USDA Zones 3–8. It can withstand significant winter temperatures, though young plants may benefit from some protection in the coldest parts of its range during their first winter. It tolerates heat well within its zone, provided adequate moisture.

Fertilization Schedule and Type: Fertilize in early spring before new growth appears. Use a balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer specifically formulated for evergreens or trees and shrubs. Follow the product’s instructions for application rates based on the plant’s size. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can burn the roots.

Common Problems and Solutions: Generally disease and pest resistant, arborvitae can occasionally face issues like bagworms or spider mites. Inspect your plant regularly. Bagworms can be hand-picked or treated with appropriate insecticides. Spider mites are often managed with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. Ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal issues. Yellowing foliage can indicate either overwatering (lack of oxygen to roots) or underwatering (drought stress), or nutrient deficiency; assess soil moisture first.

Size & Details

The Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant is a delightful selection for adding structure and year-round greenery to your garden. This offering provides a young, healthy specimen, typically standing 4-6 inches tall, ready to establish quickly in its new home. It is shipped in a 1-quart nursery pot, complete with its root ball and soil, ensuring minimal transplant shock and a strong start. This dwarf arborvitae for gardens grows at a moderate rate, eventually reaching a mature size of approximately 2-3 feet in both height and width. Its naturally rounded growth habit means it will maintain its spherical form without constant intervention, making it a truly low maintenance evergreen choice. The plant’s compact nature makes it an excellent candidate for various landscaping roles, from defining garden edges to serving as a specimen plant in smaller spaces. Expect to see steady growth, with the plant gradually filling out to its mature dimensions over several years. The fine, soft-textured foliage of this Thuja occidentalis Bobozam adds a unique tactile and visual element to any planting scheme, ensuring it remains an attractive feature throughout the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does the Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant get? A: This compact evergreen typically reaches a mature size of 2-3 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Its naturally spherical shape makes it a great choice for smaller spaces or where a defined form is desired.
• Q: What size pot does it come in? A: The Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant is shipped in a 1-quart nursery pot, providing a good starting size for transplanting into your garden or a larger container.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant is an outdoor plant, ideally suited for garden landscapes. While it can be grown in containers, it thrives best outdoors in appropriate USDA hardiness zones.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For optimal growth and foliage density, this compact evergreen shrub prefers full sun to partial shade, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant is considered easy to care for. Its natural rounded shape means minimal pruning, and it’s quite resilient once established, making it suitable for beginners looking for a low maintenance evergreen.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your Mr Bowling Ball Arborvitae live plant will arrive as a healthy, live plant in its 1-quart nursery pot, carefully packaged to ensure its safe journey and ready for planting.
• Q: When is the best time to plant this arborvitae? A: The best times to plant the dwarf arborvitae for gardens are in spring or fall, allowing the plant to establish its root system before extreme summer heat or winter cold.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: This landscape arborvitae plant is hardy in USDA Zones 3-8, meaning it is well-equipped to survive cold winter temperatures within this range.
• Q: What type of soil does this arborvitae prefer? A: The ‘Mr. Bowling Ball’ thrives in moist, well-drained soil. It’s adaptable but performs best in loamy soil with good drainage.
• Q: Does this plant attract pests or diseases? A: The Thuja occidentalis Bobozam is generally quite resistant to most pests and diseases, making it a robust and low-trouble addition to your garden.