| Leyland cypresses, XCupressocyparis leylandii, are | | | | name when we sold our first trees in 1978. |
| not fairing well in many landscapes. It is a fast | | | | Green Giant Arborvitae ranges naturally all across |
| growing tree used in boarders and screens that | | | | the United States from Massachusetts, |
| had relatively few pest problems. Now is has been | | | | southwesterly to Texas and New Mexico, through |
| suffering from branch die-back. Sadly it can cause | | | | northern Arizona, up the Sierra Nevada Mountains |
| the death of the tree. Seiridium canker is the | | | | to the state of Washington, and British Columbia |
| cause. This disease is not to the point of wiping | | | | beyond. |
| out this tree, but I would recommend not planting | | | | What does arborvitae mean anyway? Now that |
| this tree as it likely will in the future be a major | | | | we know about the derivation of "Green Giant," |
| concern. | | | | here's how the Latin name Arborvitae, or "tree of |
| Thus landscape designers should seek a | | | | life," came about. As the first explorers of Canada |
| replacement for the Leyland Cypress. One great | | | | were mapping the St. Lawrence River in 1536, the |
| choice is the Green Giant Arborvitae. | | | | tree was used for medicine which saved their |
| Green Giant arborvitae is becoming a superstar in | | | | leader and most of the men too. Jacques Cartier |
| the plant world. It is the most popular arborvitae | | | | explored the islands off eastern Canada, and then |
| next to the Emerald Green Arbor vita. The | | | | sailed westward where he entered the St. |
| reason for its success is that it fills landscape | | | | Lawrence River and found Quebec and a Royal |
| needs that are important. It will help block large | | | | Mountain (Mont Real, which is now called |
| unsightly neighbors quickly and is basically pest | | | | "Montreal"). Cartier was searching for the passage |
| free. It is also a plant that is in the public domain | | | | to China so many other explorers would also fail |
| and not protected by a patent. Thus anyone can | | | | to find. Cartier and his men had to spend a long |
| propagate this plant. | | | | winter inside a little fort, away from the any sun, |
| The original Green Giant got its name not from | | | | where they subsisted on meat, fish, and bread, |
| ancient lore, but from unusually extra large, hence | | | | eating no fruits or vegetables. As scurvy was |
| "giant," green peas. These "Green Giant Peas" | | | | killing most all of them, a friendly Huron Indian |
| were a new "strain," a new species, introduced by | | | | gave Cartier's crew tea made from the needles |
| the Minnesota Valley Canning Company in 1925. | | | | and bark of a tree which looked like the white |
| You see, these were huge peas when compared | | | | cedars of Europe. So Cartier took some trees |
| to the previously marketed baby peas | | | | back to France with him, these Thuja Occidentalis |
| early-picked in June (that's sure early in co-o-o-old | | | | Eastern White Cedars, naming them "Arborvitae," |
| Minnesota). LeSueur baby peas are still sold today | | | | the tree of life. How about that? |
| in their classic silver can as a gourmet vegetable. | | | | Arborvitae are native to the pacific northwest |
| Founded back in 1903, Minnesota Valley Canning | | | | where they grow to 200 feet tall, usually 50 to |
| was a pea company located along the Minnesota | | | | 70 feet is the common height, even including here |
| River, which was the Dakota Sioux name for | | | | in Bucks county. Arborvitae do best in wet |
| "cloudy water," just southwest of Minneapolis and | | | | forests and swamps. The Green Giant |
| St. Paul, the state capital. This is where there's a | | | | appearance is due to this specie's wide 15-25 foot |
| bottom land "confluence" with the even cloudier, | | | | wide base, the slightly tapering conical shape, and |
| soil-rich, muddier Mississippi River. The whole area, | | | | the dense branches and leaves casting great dark |
| including surrounding towns like LeSueur, got the | | | | shadows. The Arborvitae grows in zones 6 to 8, |
| title, the "Minnesota Valley." Ohhh. And where did | | | | environments with temperatures that get as low |
| THAT name, LeSeur, come from you may be | | | | as 10 degrees below 0 Fahrenheit, such as in |
| wondering? Lesueur is the name of the original | | | | Missouri or Pennsylvania, to environments where |
| explorer of the area, a Frenchmen of the early | | | | winter temperatures get only as low as 20 |
| 1700's. | | | | degrees above 0 Fahrenheit, such as mid-Texas |
| Minnesota is amidst the land of Paul Bunyan and | | | | and northern Florida. |
| his blue ox Babe, tall tales about them a part of | | | | Green Giant Arborvitae have pretty, yet |
| he culture. Maybe the stories gave rise to ideas | | | | surprisingly tiny yellow flowers. The "pine cones," |
| for how to advertise Green Giant Peas. | | | | the fruit actually, of the tree, follow the budding |
| The "Jolly Green Giant" became incredibly popular | | | | of the flowers and are also surprisingly small |
| as the way to advertise those Green Giant Peas | | | | compared to the size of a mature tree, being no |
| and by 1950 he was an "icon" as we say today. | | | | more than a half-inch in size. There are no |
| There was a cartoon character created, | | | | problems with tree litter understandably, and so |
| ubiquitous TV commercials and print advertising, | | | | few animals are attracted to the Green Giant |
| even "giant-sized" highway billboards, so the | | | | Arborvitae, perhaps because of this description. |
| company changed its name to his. | | | | The Green Giant Arborvitae is recommended for |
| So that is where the "Green Giant" comes from, | | | | growing as a hedge or privacy buffer along a |
| 20th century modern marketing, not ancient lore. | | | | property line, or driveway. Thuja Plicata, Western |
| The Green Giant Thuja Plicata is in the same | | | | Red Cedars are ideal "windrow" trees. In a row, |
| Juniper family as the original "tree of life" | | | | they'll truly diminish the wind. The Green Giant |
| Arborvitae, but with growth rates as fast as | | | | Arborvitae is justifiably considered wind resistant |
| three feet per year (gee, bamboo's the fastest | | | | considering the windswept mountains of the |
| grower at five feet per, but it's just grass). Thuja | | | | Pacific northwest. The wood itself is weak, but it |
| Plicata trees grow to heights beyond 200 feet in | | | | is very light. Green Giant Arborvitae do have |
| the Pacific Northwest, this Western Red Cedar is | | | | better deer resistance than most arborvitae. |
| indeed worthy of also taking the Green Giant | | | | These trees have been planted in high deer |
| name. , , and | | | | population areas. On our farm in Doylestown we |
| The Green Giant Arborvitae is more properly | | | | have lots of deer and do have damage the |
| named by tree scientists the "Thuja Plicata," with | | | | Emerald Green Arborvitae. The Green Giants are |
| the other common historic names being, "giant | | | | eaten by deer only an occasionally, a nibble here |
| cedar," also "western cedar," and "red cedar." | | | | and there. Based on our own observations over |
| There's only one other Arborvitae specie in all of | | | | the years we feel that the Green Giants will only |
| North America, the "eastern cedar," or "white | | | | be eaten by deer if there is no other feed |
| cedar," with "Thuja Occidentalis," as the tree | | | | available. |
| scientist's Latin name, the botanist's name. This | | | | Now that you know all about 'em, Highland Hill |
| short tree is actually what we usually think of | | | | Farm has at least 50 or more Green Giant |
| when the "genus" juniper is mentioned. | | | | Arborvitae in our nursery ready for pickup at any |
| Funny that the eastern cedar was given the Latin | | | | time. They will range from 1.5' to 12' and be balled |
| name for "west" which is "occidental." You see? | | | | and burlapped or potted. We also have field liners |
| As I have observed before, what's in a name? | | | | and seedling Green Giant available. There are |
| Highland Hill Farm is not located in a town called | | | | many more varieties of arborvitae available which |
| Highland Hills, or, on Highland Hill Road, etc. Scottish | | | | we have in stock. If we don't stock the variety |
| Highland Hills cows that we grazed on our first | | | | you want we will find it for you if possible. |
| property provided our company with a distinctive | | | | |