Thuja plicata '4EVER GOLDY' western red cedar

4ever Goldy is a new variety of western red cedar from 2006. It was found in a Dutch nursery as a natural mutation of Martin variety by Andreas J.M.Luiten in 2002. It has flat sprays of soft, scale-like, evergreen foliage that is bright golden-yellow in winter and medium green in summer with some yellowish overlay. The plant changes colour in the autumn when the temperature drops below 5°C, showing a vivid combination of bright yellow and almost orange-golden until the temperature rises back to normal in spring. Another nice feature is the orange-red colour of young stems and reddish-brown bark of older trunks.

It grows slowly, about 20 cm per year, forming a conical, compact shrub that can get some 4-5m tall and up to 2 m wide in full maturity. It may be pruned or trimmed in spring and late summer.

4ever Goldy is a trouble-free conifer which, once established, needs no maintenance at all. It is quite soil tolerant but dislikes boggy locations and long-standing water as well as long-lasting drought. Just keep the soil moist after planting by mulching, and you will get a fantastic plant. Hardy to about -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 03-02-2011