Morganii Oriental Arborvitae

Morganii Oriental Arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis 'Morgan', still widely sold as Thuja orientalis) is a slow growing golden conifer that forms a neat upright column about 2.4m tall and 1.2m wide. The soft vertical sprays hold a bright lime gold through the warm months, then shift to a rich coppery bronze over winter, so the plant changes character with the seasons without losing its shape. Few conifers stay small enough for a courtyard yet formal enough for a clipped hedge.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that changes with the season. Golden through spring and summer, coppery bronze through winter, with nothing to deadhead.
• Naturally columnar. The upright habit holds a tidy shape with almost no shearing, unlike hedges needing three cuts a year to stay narrow.
• Only 1.2m wide. A narrow footprint suits a side boundary, a driveway edge or a bed too tight for a broad shrub.
• Takes shaping well. Dense enough to clip into a cone, a column or a matched pair of formal sentries at an entry.

Where it works best

Narrow hedging and screening. Plant 60cm apart for a narrow hedge. The columns knit into a continuous gold wall around 2.4m high without pushing more than 1.2m into the bed.

Topiary and formal shaping. The fine dense foliage responds well to clipping, holding a crisp cone or spiral better than most conifers of this size.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm or larger pot suits it, and container growing keeps it around 1.5m to 2m.

Growing Morganii Oriental Arborvitae in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun brings out the gold; in shade the colour dulls towards flat green and the habit opens up. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens: Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and inland districts. Humid tropical and subtropical gardens are the exception, where heat and moisture encourage fungal problems.

Soil. Free draining soil is essential. It handles a range of types but will not forgive waterlogging. On clay, plant on a raised mound and improve the bed with compost and coarse sand.

Water and feed. Water deeply twice a week through the first summer, then only occasionally in dry spells. A slow release fertiliser in early spring keeps the gold strong. Overwatering causes far more decline than drought.

Pruning. Light and often is the rule. Trim in late spring and again in late summer for a formal finish, staying within the green outer growth. Conifers of this type do not reshoot from bare inner wood, so cutting into old timber leaves a permanent gap.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six and 300mm pots. The 140mm and 200mm packs are the sensible way to buy a hedge run, since the plants are young, uniform and quick to settle. A 300mm plant gives more presence straight away.

This is a slow growing conifer, and that patience is the price of how tidy it stays. Expect roughly 15cm to 25cm of height a year, so a hedge from 200mm stock takes four to five years to reach full height. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to grow and maintain conifers
• Browse the full conifer range
• Compare plants suited to topiary and shaping
• See more tall and narrow screening plants

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Space plants 60cm apart in a single row. Because each plant is naturally columnar and only 1.2m wide, that spacing closes the gaps without crowding roots or restricting airflow.

Why has the foliage turned bronze?

That is normal seasonal behaviour, not a problem. The golden summer foliage takes on a coppery bronze tone through the cold months and greens up again as the weather warms.

Can I cut it back hard to reduce its size?

No. Like most conifers it will not reshoot from bare brown wood, so hard pruning leaves permanent bare patches. Trim little and often within the green growth instead.