Woody > Thuja > Thuja occidentalis > Thuja occidentalis 'Sunkist'
Thuja occidentalis
'Sunkist'
Sunkist Cedar
Mike's
Opinion
"
This cultivar will add interest to any garden, with its bright ‘Sunkist glow’. Many specimens I have seen are pyramidal as they get larger they become more conical and can become quite large.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Cupressaceae |
| Genus |
| Thuja |
| Species |
| occidentalis |
| Cultivar |
| 'Sunkist' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3-7 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 3b-6b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -38C |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -45F |
| Height |
| 1.5-5 m |
| Spread |
| 1-1.5 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A multi-stemmed slow growing shrub with gorgeous yellow foliage that lasts year round. Sunkist is a very suiting name for this tree as it seems to glow in the sunlight. |
| Landscape |
| A relatively low maintenance shrub that has outstanding colour. Can be used in a mass planting or as a specimen. Gives a pop of colour to any evergreen garden but must be planted in full sun. |
| Cultivation |
| Can tolerate urban conditions. Does best in full sun, if grown in full shade it will not be yellow. Should not be allowed to dry out; average to moist soil conditions. Cold hardy, but root zone should be protected in the winter with a thick mulch. |
| Shape |
| Broadly pyramidal. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| The bright yellow, Sunkist look of this plant gives it away every time. It is easy to spot in a garden due to its outstanding foliage. Can be globular when very small, broadly pyramidal if left unclipped, and can be clipped into a narrow pyramidal form. |
| Pests |
| This cultivar is resistant to deer. May be susceptible to leaf blight, scale and spider mites, but little of concern. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Red-brown bark, not particularly outstanding, can be shredding and fibrous and narrow scaled. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Small bright yellow, pointed buds. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are flat and dense. They are scale like and densely arranged on lateral branchlets. They are golden yellow in colour, with outstanding summer colour. The colour is year round but even more pronounced during the summer months. |
| Flower Description |
| Male flowers are yellow, very inconspicuous and female flowers are pink. Male and female flowers are borne on separate twigs or branches. |
| Fruit Description |
| Small light brown rose like cones. Outside of the fruit is lighter in colour than the inside. |
| Colour Description |
| Bright glowing yellow, with colour that lasts throughout the year. If planted in shade or part shade the yellow will not be as bright. The inner parts of the foliage are light green. |
| Texture Description |
| Refined, fine textured shrub. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Royal Botanical Gardens, Arboretum, Burlington, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Propagated by cuttings, in the summer of current seasons growth. Cuttings should be about 15 cm in length. |
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