Plant Profile: Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem'

Names

Little Gem Arborvitae

  • Photo of Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' (Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem's)

Phonetic Spelling:THU-ya ock-sih-den-TAH-liss

Genus:Thuja

Species:occidentalis

Family:Cupressaceae

'Little Gem' is a compact cultivar of Arborvitae characterized by its dense, flattened, and broadly rounded shape. Typically, it reaches a height of around 3 feet and can spread up to 6 feet wide within its first decade of growth. While it retains its rich green hue throughout the winter months, it may exhibit some bronzing. This variety is often susceptible to damage from deer.

For additional details on Thuja occidentalis, please refer to further resources.

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Feature Summary

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Image Gallery

Tags

#evergreen
#cpp

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Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Feature Summary

Leaves
Glossy dark green leaves; crumpled, crowded, flat sprays held at various angles; thin, horizontal, spreading branches.
Needles
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Good Drainage
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
3a
3b
Landscape
Winter Garden
Border
Accent
Lawn
Small Space

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Attributes

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Country Or Region Of Origin

US

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Leaves

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Leaf Description

Glossy dark green leaves; crumpled, crowded, flat sprays held at various angles; thin, horizontal, spreading branches.

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Leaf Color

spa
Green

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Whole Plant Traits

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Cultural Conditions

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Stem

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem' Landscape

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Thuja occidentalis 'Little Gem': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland