Golden Oriental Arborvitae
Golden Oriental Arborvitae (Thuja orientalis ‘Aurea Nana’) is one of my favorite evergreens growing in my yard. It is definitely the best looking Arborvitae. And yes, I have more than one Arborvitae growing in my yard.
Most people probably think of evergreens as Pines, Spruces, Firs, Hemlocks, and any other tree used as a Christmas tree. While they are correct, there are also Junipers, False Cypress, Arborvitaes, and several other plants that keep their foliage throughout the year.
Almost green
Many of these don’t actually stay green all year. They usually take on a dull or bronzish tint during the winter. Once the temperatures start rising in the spring and the sun starts shining more, their great colors return.
Golden Oriental Arborvitae loves the sunshine. Plant them center stage in a nice sunny location. The foliage shines with a golden yellow color.
This Arborvitae grows in an upward form like many other varieties. It doesn’t grow in a pyramidal shape, however. It resembles a golden football standing on end. The bottom and top are somewhat the same sizes with a larger middle. As they age, the bottom fills out a bit more.
Not too big, not too small
They are actually made up of several limbs that grow upward but curve back to the center. As it grows larger, it adds more size to its girth. It will reach a height of about 6-8 feet and spread out to maybe 3 or 4 feet wide.
Mine is now just a tad bit taller than I am. I am 6 feet tall and the top is just over my head. It was about 18 inches tall when I bought it back in 2011. It has been planted in the same location for that period of time.
These are rated for Hardiness Zone 6 and mine has done well growing here in my 5b/6a zone. It did suffer some damage when we had about a week of severely cold temperatures several winters ago. The temperature was over 20 degrees below zero (F) for a few nights for a couple of weeks.
It was still a young Arborvitae at the time. A couple of the center limbs died. I thought about removing it but instead, I just removed the dead limbs. Unless you take a close look at the inside, you can’t tell that I did that.
I do propagate these and usually have some small ones available for sale. They are a popular choice for customers because they aren’t green. They make a bold statement in your yard or landscape.
