Thuja – decorative perennial, has long been used in the improvement of cities and private plots. Due to the unique shape of the leaves, thuja is most often used to create green hedges and alleys.
Reproduction of thuja
Reproduction is carried out in several ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- seedlings http://terra-market.ru.
Among all the propagation methods, the most rational is cuttings. To determine all the advantages and disadvantages, we will consider each method in detail.
Growing from seeds
Growing from seeds is a long and complex process. At least five years must pass before a seedling grown from a seed is ready for planting in a permanent place. In the process of development, such a plant loses its varietal properties.
Despite the disadvantages, this growing method also has the good side– from the seed grows a seedling that is maximally prepared for local natural conditions.
For planting, you need to take healthy seeds that have spent the winter under the snow. In this way they harden and get used to weather conditions. In the spring, the seeds are placed in a box with a nutrient substrate, sprinkled with soil with the addition of pine sawdust.
Seedlings require careful care:
- regular hydration;
- Sun protection;
- timely feeding.
In the fifth year, plants can be placed in open ground.
Propagation by cuttings
Coniferous plants lend themselves well to cuttings, while maintaining their varietal qualities. As a rule, thuja shoots are separated in April. It is best to take 2-3 year old cuttings from the upper crown area. It is recommended to separate shoots 20 cm long by hand, due to which a particle of last year’s wood enriched with useful substances is preserved at the end of the shoot.
Before planting, young shoots must be disinfected. To do this, briefly dip them in a solution of potassium permanganate and then soak them for a day in a solution with a root growth stimulator.
To plant cuttings, use boxes with sand or garden soil containing sand. Containers must be placed in a hanging position, for example, on bricks or boards. The bottom should have a sufficient number of holes so that moisture does not accumulate and oxygen flows freely to the root system.
Drainage is laid out at the bottom; small river pebbles can be used for this. Before planting, it is recommended to boil the sand and spill it with a 3% solution of potassium permanganate. The shoots should be placed 2 cm deep in the substrate. Compact the soil and water well. When watering, it is necessary to ensure that the soil is not washed away by water and that the cutting does not move.
Boxes with seedlings should overwinter in a warm, shady room. Optimal temperature for good rooting 18-23 degrees.
Seedlings are planted in the ground in the fall. The soil for thuja needs to be acidified with the addition of peat. It takes an average of 2-3 years to grow seedlings.
Spring planting of thuja in the ground
Thuja is pretty unpretentious plant, able to take root well at different times of the year. And yet, experienced experts advise planting thuja in the spring.
When choosing a permanent place for thuja, you should take into account that it prefers shady places. In an area that is too sunny, the plant will wither and have difficulty withstanding low temperatures; in a dark place, the thuja slowly develops and loses its decorative qualities. Ideal conditions for thuja – light shade, protection from strong winds, nearby groundwater.
How to plant thuja?
- Dig a hole - 70-80 cm deep and 90-100 cm in diameter. The earth ball should easily fit into it.
- A little substrate with added fertilizer is placed at the bottom.
- Carefully place the seedling in the hole, maintaining the integrity of the earthen coma. The root collar of the thuja should be parallel to the soil surface.
- Mix garden soil, peat, sand in equal parts, fill and tamp lightly.
Miniature varieties should be spaced about 1 meter apart. Large species– up to 5 meters. After planting in the ground, watering and primary fertilizing are required. Watering frequency is determined temperature conditions and plenty of rain. In hot weather it is necessary to water at least twice a week, in early spring Once is enough. During the rainy seasons, there is no need to water the thuja.
Watering mode
For good growth and the development of thuja requires sufficient watering. The watering regime involves adding 10 liters of water to the root part once a week. In dry weather - 2-3 times a week.
Thuja also needs sufficient sprinkling - irrigation of the crown. You can irrigate thuja 1-2 times a day.
Top dressing
Achieve rapid growth and improvements decorative qualities thuja, can be done with timely fertilizer. It is recommended to feed thuja 1-2 times per season.
To sufficiently retain moisture, protect against weeds and improve fertility, the tree trunk circle is mulched with compost or sawdust.
Haircut and trimming
As a rule, thuja is not cut during the first two years. This allows her to develop strong root system, and the grower - to determine the condition and needs of the plant.
When pruning thuja, you must adhere to the following rules:
2. Pruning is done in dry weather.
3. Before cutting, remove dry parts and, if necessary, thin out the bush.
5. To grow the bush in width, it is cut top part plants.
Preparing thuja for winter
Young seedlings require additional shelter in the first years of growth. To insulate thuja, non-woven spunbond or thick greenhouse film is used. The roots are protected with fallen leaves, which are removed in the spring.
Mature bushes are protected from snow and winds, the branches are pulled towards the trunk. As it accumulates, snow deposits are removed to prevent mold from appearing.
25 photos of proper thuja care
Possible proportions of planting composition: 2 portions of humus, 2 portions of peat, 1 portion of sand, 2 portions of turf. When planting, it is preferable to put 150 grams of Fertika and 300 grams of compost into each seedling.
The depth of the hole depends on the volume of the roots; on average, its dimensions are 50*85 cm. Seedlings are planted immediately after purchase to prevent the roots from drying out, carefully avoiding destruction of the soil lump. After planting, the juniper is watered big amount water and shelter from the sun. The interval between planted seedlings depends on the design of the garden; joint or single planting is required, and varies from 0.5 to 2 meters.
Sowing seedlings
When collecting seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to remember the importance of time - preference is given to ripened seeds collected at the end of August rather than fully ripened ones taken in the autumn. Because the germination percentage of the first collection condition is higher.
The seeds cannot be stored; they are planted immediately, but you should know that the dense shell of the seed delays its germination for up to three years.
You can plant juniper seeds in the forest, marking the location; this is done to closely replicate the conditions of natural growth. When replanting, dig up a sufficiently voluminous lump of soil, preserving the surface layer of humus.
Thuja or Thuja(Thuja, Tree of Life, Northern Cypress) from the Cypress family (Cupressaceae) includes 4 species of evergreen gymnosperms coniferous shrubs and low-growing trees. In our country it is widely used as a hedge along fenced areas, and is also often used to form landscape design, to decorate alpine slides and rockeries. But some lovers of indoor plants grow thuja at home, caring for which does not require special knowledge and skills. Photo indoor thuja in a pot and tips for home care behind the coniferous tree you will find later in this material.
With regular formative pruning you can change the appearance of the tree. Despite the fact that thuja is a coniferous plant, the crown is formed not by needles on the branches, but by crosswise opposite scale-like leaves, consisting of flat scales overlapping each other. The period of “blooming” (dusting) usually begins in autumn: a flower bud appears from the axils of the leaves at the tops of the side shoots, and then a “flower” blooms (a female kidney-shaped spikelet of a yellowish color appears in the upper part of the crown, and a male spikelet of a brownish color appears in the lower part of the crown) . Then, among the scale-like leaves, oval-shaped cones are formed, after the ripening of which seeds appear with narrow wings under the scales.
If you see a thuja in a pot on the floor or on the windowsill of a living room, then most likely it is the oriental thuja (Thuja orientalis, Platycladus, Flatweed, Biota). This evergreen shrub with spreading branches, flat scaly leaves of silver-variegated color and oblong cones, bent downwards. The usual shape of the oriental thuja is pyramidal, but with the help of pruning and pinching, you can give the crown the desired look. Some craftsmen form a tree from a thuja in a pot in the form of a topiary or bonsai. To do this, the trunk and branches must be bent and fixed almost to the point of breaking, so that, in combination with proper pruning and timely pinching of young shoots resulted in a very beautiful bonsai. Formed decorative tree from coniferous thuja It will look interesting in an ensemble with such flowering bonsai trees as indoor azalea, fuchsia, hibiscus, Chinese rose.
- photo: thuja bonsai
We must immediately make a reservation that the potted thuja, as specially bred by breeders indoor variety, does not exist. At home, the Oriental Thuja or Flatweed, which we mentioned above, takes root best. Caring for this unpretentious type of coniferous plant is very simple and the graceful dwarf tree grows to miniature sizes at home. To decorate the interior, phytodesigners create very interesting compositions of flowering indoor plants against the backdrop of evergreen thuja, choosing such decorative potted flowers as phalaenopsis orchid or dendrobium, tuberous begonia, Persian cyclamen, gerbera with bright daisy flowers, miniature hydrangea, New Guinea balsam, Thompson clerodendrum . And in gardening and for landscape design, the most suitable types of thuja are T. western, T. Korean, T. Japanese, T. folded.
- photo: thuja orientalis in a pot
Interestingly, Buddhist philosophy classifies thuja as a plant that promotes longevity and restoration. vital energy. And some designers use thuja in a pot for the symbolic organization of living space according to Feng Shui, along with such indoor plants like home violets Saintpaulia, Zamioculcas Dollar Tree, Gloxinia with very bright flowers, Crassula Money Tree. In addition, indoor thuja exudes a very delicate aroma, reminiscent of the pleasant smell of spruce resin, which will not leave anyone indifferent.
By the way, this coniferous plant has very effective healing properties. It is recommended to grow thuja at home for people suffering from various respiratory diseases. Along with such popular indoor plants as Dieffenbachia and house chrysanthemum, thuja grown in a pot enriches the space of the room with beneficial essential oils and volatile secretions - phytoncides. These substances cleanse the air of pathogenic microbes and dust and calm the nervous system. The coniferous scent of thuja helps restore emotional and physical fatigue after a hard day at work and effectively relieves stress.
Thuja extract is widely used in perfumery to create useful cosmetics, and is also used in traditional and folk medicine for preparing effective medicines. Products that contain thuja extract have various healing properties (today there are tonic, antimicrobial, antitumor, expectorant, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic drugs). Various decoctions and infusions are made from crushed thuja needles. There are many folk recipes for preparing medicinal antiseptics against age spots, warts, papillomas, and acne on the skin. Medicines containing thuja extract treat adenoids in children and acute respiratory viral infections, as well as cervical erosion, cystitis, and trichomonas colpitis. Thuja can compete for the status of “best home doctor” with such famous indoor medicinal plants such as aloe vera or Agave, Kalanchoe officinalis, Ficus Benjamin, geranium pelargonium, gardenia jasminoides, myrtle tree, indoor spurge, primrose primrose.
♦ WHAT IS IMPORTANT!
Location and lighting.
Direct sunlight can cause burns on the delicate scaly foliage of the thuja. At home, under the bright rays of the sun, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. It is best to place a pot with a coniferous plant in partial shade, with indirect diffused lighting in daytime. You can place the pot on a floor stand next to a window on the north side of the room. If you shade the window glass on hot summer days, then the thuja will feel comfortable on an elevation next to the western or eastern window.
Temperature regime.
In spring and summer, you can take home thuja to a balcony, loggia or garden in a shaded place. The optimal temperature is 18-24°C. IN winter period it is necessary to keep the thuja pot away from heating devices, it is best to place the plant on glass loggia. It is advisable that in winter the temperature does not rise above 14-16°C.
Air humidity.
Moderate or a little increased level humidity (40-60%). If the air in the room is too dry ( summer heat, the heating system is working), be sure to spray the coniferous plant with warm, soft water from a spray bottle.
Watering.
Use warm, settled water for irrigation. It is recommended to maintain a moderate watering regime (several times a week). The soil should not be over-moistened, but drying out the soil is also detrimental to thuja.
Earth mixture and fertilizing.
To plant a young plant, you can do earth mixture from coniferous soil. leaf soil and coarse sand in a ratio of 2:4:1, and for an adult - turf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1.
For feeding you can use complex organic and mineral fertilizers For coniferous plants(at half dose). IN summer period thuja needs the most potash fertilizers, and in the spring - in nitrogen (for adult plants you can add a little phosphorus fertilizer). It is necessary to feed no more than 2 times a month. In winter, fertilizers are not required.
Transfer.
The roots of the coniferous plant are quite long. To plant thuja, choose a tall, but not very wide pot. A drainage layer of broken bricks or tiles should be poured onto the bottom of the pot. A young plant is replanted annually, and an adult plant once every two years. Planting is carried out by transshipment together with a lump of earth.
Reproduction.
You can propagate thuja by cuttings, layering and seeds. At home, the plant is usually propagated by cuttings. Carefully separate a cutting 10-12 cm long with pruning shears or sharp knife from an adult plant. The cut area on the cutting should be treated with a root formation stimulator. Then you need to deepen the cutting a few centimeters into the ground and place the container in a warm place and ventilate the room often. Instead of watering, spray the cuttings with water from a spray bottle. When the cuttings take root, you can transplant them into a suitable pot.
Thuja (Thuja) is an ornamental coniferous plant from the Cypress family; it can be a shrub or a tree with flat shoots.
There are five types of thuja - Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Western and folded.
All these species are evergreen with a dense crown, and thuja needles tolerate air pollution and cold well. Thuja wood contains aromatic essential oils that give the plant a pleasant aroma.
The history of the origin of the thuja begins in Canada, Virginia, the United States of America, North and South Carolina. In these places, the natives call the thuja the American tree of life.
In fact, with its distinctive form and refined beauty, the thuja made an impression on Europeans and was brought to the Old World, where it became popular among garden lovers.
If we talk about Russia in particular, then thuja appeared here relatively recently. If you trust historians, they brought it to us in the eighteenth century. Planting of thuja at that time was carried out in the Caucasus and in the south of Crimea. Now there are no problems purchasing thuja.
Large-sized and thuja shrubs have extraordinary beauty. Thuja is used in landscaping as independent element(fences, hedges) as well as in partnership with other flowers, in alpine roller coaster and rock gardens.
It should be noted that the thuja will look equally beautiful both in a single planting and in a group. Thuja brings great benefits to the garden; it cleanses the air of harmful impurities and gives off an aromatic smell in return. Now about each type separately...
Types and varieties of thuja
Thuja occidentalis
(Thuja occidentalis) is a tree (less commonly a shrub), reaching 2 meters in height with scale-like needles.
The color of western thuja needles changes depending on the time of year.
In winter with a brown tint, and in summer with a bright green shine. The crown is small, ovoid in shape when young, with branches hanging to the ground when mature.
The trunk is flexible and strong, with brown bark in youth and a reddish tint in mature trees. The cones of the western thuja are small, no more than one centimeter, and they ripen in the fall.
How large-sized, thuja occidentalis, has a large number of decorative forms (more than 100), among which the most common in Russia are Brabant, Aurea, Danica, Golden Globe, Hoseri, Globosa, Holmstrup ), Yellow Ribbon and Smaragd.
Thuja Korean
Rarely found in the forests of the Korean Peninsula.
It has a wide crown with spreading branches with soft needles. The color of its needles is not monochromatic and ranges from bright silver to dark green tones.
The leaves are elongated, triangular-ovate, up to 20 mm long. Korean thuja cones are ovoid, up to 10 mm in size, Brown color. In Russia, it can only be grown in the southern regions, because this species is not frost-resistant.
Thuja foldata
Is very beautiful bush, looks like cypress, but it has more attractive shades and shapes. Grows in the vast northwest North America.
Thuja was brought to Russia to decorate gardens and landscaping.
IN landscape design used for single plantings in the lawn, it will also go well with other conifers.
Thuja japonica
This tall tree reaches a height of 18 m, with soft and beautiful needles. It got its name from its homeland; it grows in the middle mountains of Japan. Frost-resistant, was grown by scientists in the Arctic, where it showed its growth at very low temperatures. Thuja Japanese is unpretentious in care and can survive without moisture for a long time.
Planting thuja
If you decide to plant thuja in your garden, then choose an area where there will be no sun all day long. Due to direct sunlight, thuja can become dehydrated or get sick from frost in winter. The soil for thuja should be turf, with the addition of sand and peat. At group planting thuja needs to maintain a distance between trees (1-5 meters). We must not forget that thujas grow not only in height, but also in width. The planting depth is about 60-80 cm. It is advisable to plant thuya in the spring.
Thuja care
Thuja requires minimal care. Thuja needs to be fertilized once a year (best in spring) with mineral or organic fertilizers.
After planting in the first month, watering should be done once a week, 10 liters each, and in dry weather - several times a week, 20 liters each. Thuja prefers moist soils; under these conditions, it will always have bright needles and lush crown. If the soil is dry, the crown will thin out and the needles will have a yellowish tint.
In the first winter after planting it is necessary to cover young tree so that it does not freeze.
(Thuja) is a genus of coniferous plants of the Cypress family (Cupressaceae), which was named in 1753 by the Swedish botanist C. Linnaeus. Latin name, assigned by these scientists to this group of trees, comes from Greek word“thuo”, which means “to sacrifice”, since thuja wood was often used by our ancient ancestors during sacrifices - the logs for the ritual fire emitted a pleasant aroma while burning. This genus includes six species of monoecious trees or shrubs. Their homeland is North America and East Asia. These plants are distinguished by a dense crown, formed by shoots branched in one plane and pressed to them, lying crosswise on scale-like (in young plants, needle-shaped) needles. The oblong-oval cones at the ends of the branches consist of 3-4 pairs of leathery-woody scales, the upper ones being sterile. Seeds with two narrow wings ripen in autumn in the year the plant blooms.
Thujas live on average up to 150 years, but much older specimens are also known. All types of this plant are undemanding to soil, drought-resistant, and tolerate cutting and shaping well. In addition, they are used in urban greening due to their resistance to air pollution from smoke, gases and dust.
The most popular view is the western thuja (Thuja occidentalis), or “tree of life.” It has been known in Europe since 1545. This low tree with a pyramidal or ovoid crown is native to the northeastern regions of North America, where the natives call it “northern white cedar.” From the needles of this plant (as well as other types of thuja) a yellowish-green liquid with a characteristic strong camphor odor is obtained - thuja essential oil. It is used to flavor sprays and deodorants, and is also used in medicine as a cardiac stimulant. Thuja occidentalis is widely cultivated throughout Europe, in neighboring countries, as well as in Russia, where it appeared at the end of the 16th century. Among gardeners, dwarf, weeping, variegated and miniature (short and dwarf) forms of thuja occidentalis are especially popular. This species is recommended for most regions, except for semi-desert zones and areas with harsh winters.
Another source of thuja oil is the wood of the giant thuja, or the so-called “western red cedar” (Thuja plicata). It reaches greater heights than other species, growing up to 65 m. Its homeland is the western regions of North America from California to Alaska. It grows both in coastal areas Pacific Ocean, and in the mountains, rising to 1800 m above sea level. The trunk of the folded thuja, reaching a diameter of about 2 m, is covered with thin, fibrous, reddish-brown bark. Horizontally located and slightly hanging branches form a dense pyramidal crown. The scale-like needles are flat, shiny, yellowish-green on the upper side, dark green on the lower side, with whitish stripes of stomatal cells. It is pressed tightly against the shoots and has a strong, specific aroma. This plant lives for about 500 years. Since ancient times local residents The coastal regions of North America used thuja for weaving: ropes were made from soft and long bast fibers, ropes were woven, and even warm blankets were woven. This type has been in cultivation since 1853. All forms of thuja foldata are extremely decorative, due to which they are widely used in landscape construction in the southern regions of Russia and nearby countries (Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Transcarpathia).
Thuja eastern, or eastern biota (Biota orientalis and Thuja orientalis), is found in East Asia(China, Japan), It is an evergreen shrub or tree. It is used in Chinese medicine and homeopathy different countries. IN open ground oriental thuja can only be grown in the southern regions, because it is very thermophilic. One of its forms, which is distinguished by its original appearance, can be grown indoors.
CULTIVATION FEATURES, SOIL, PLANTING RULES
Caring for thuja summer time consists of regular watering and sprinkling (twice a week). During sprinkling, dust is washed away from the crown of the plant, which especially contributes to the strong spread of the refreshing aroma of pine needles.
It is recommended to periodically loosen the too dense soil around the thuja (no deeper than 10 cm) and mulch with peat or sawdust (about 7 cm layer).
In youth, thuja grows slowly, but with age the growth rate increases. The tree is shade-tolerant and frost-resistant - tolerates frosts below minus 35°C.
Growing in fertile conditions garden soil and sufficient, but not excessive moisture, thuja develops a luxurious crown. Too dry soil and a shady location cause the plant to lose its decorative value: the crown of the thuja becomes sparse, its needles fade (in golden and variegated varieties it loses its beautiful color), and a large number of cones are formed.
In autumn, young thuja seedlings are covered with spruce branches, which will save the trees not only from winter frosts, but also from the scorching spring sun. A snowy winter can disrupt the dense and dense crown of an adult thuja, breaking its branches, so when preparing the tree for winter, the thuja is tied up. In addition, you should know that in winter, sharp changes in temperature can cause cracks to appear on the thuja trunk, which are covered with garden varnish in the spring.
Thujas grow well in moist, light, sandy and slightly acidic soils, with the addition of leaf and turf soil.
It is recommended to carry out work on planting or replanting thuja in the spring. Plants with a closed root system tolerate it more easily. Planting holes must be prepared in advance. The area where the thuja is supposed to be planted should be sunny or semi-shaded. The distance between plants is usually 1-2.5 m, sometimes a little more. The planting depth is at least 70 cm, sometimes up to 1 m; in trenches for hedges, a depth of 0.6-1.0 m should be maintained with soil filling and drainage to half the depth of the hole. Before planting you should prepare special soil- humus, leaf soil, peat, sand (3:2:1:2). In an area with heavy soil and in places with stagnant (melt, rain) water, it is advisable to fill the planting hole with a thick (20 cm) layer of drainage, which can be used as broken brick. When planting thuja, it is not recommended to bury it or raise it above ground level. root collar, it should be at ground level. During the first two years after planting, mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil at a concentration of 40 g/cm.
Tall forms of thuja should not be planted close (closer than 3 meters) to other trees and shrubs.
REPRODUCTION
Thuja reproduces by seeds. At spring sowing the seeds are stratified for a month or soaked for 12 hours in water, or kept in wet sand until they bite. Decorative forms are often propagated by grafting. Propagation by cuttings, which should be harvested in July-August, is much more difficult. Green cuttings are taken at the heel, from young, well-developed plants.
DISEASES AND PESTS
Arborvitae moth. Thuja moth moths, only 4 mm in size, hatch and fly out at the end of May. If the scaly leaves of the thuja begin to turn brown and the tops of its shoots die off, then most likely the tree is affected by this pest. The passages gnawed into the leaf tissue by tiny larvae, and the caterpillars themselves can be seen in the light. To prevent the spread of butterflies, the affected plants are treated twice at the end of June - July with an interval of 8 days with products containing pyrethroids.
The thuja thuja damages the thuja needles, which turn yellow and fall off, reducing the decorative value of the plantings. Aphids are gray-brown and covered with a silvery-white waxy dust. They live in colonies, sucking on the underside of shoots. Control measures: spraying with karbofos. Repeat spraying as needed.
Thuja false scale is found on the needles and twigs of thuja, multiplies in masses and causes great damage to plantings. The female is almost spherical, about 3 mm, yellow-brown. Larvae of the 2nd instar overwinter under the bark of young shoots. The first young females appear in mid-May - June. Oviposition occurs from mid-June to September. The maximum number of eggs in a clutch is 1300. Larvae appear in July and August. Control measures: before buds open, in the summer, during the mass emergence of vagabonds (late June - early July), spraying with actellik, karbofos.
Thuja occidentalis requires treatment against mold with foundationazole for the winter.
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
The high gas resistance of thuja allows it to be used in urban landscaping and industrial facilities. In green construction, this plant is used in group and single landings, when creating alleys, living walls and hedges. Arborvitae are beautifully trimmed and are often used to create architectural forms. However, novice gardeners should take into account that overloading the landscape with thujas gives it a gloomy cast.
Thuja occidentalis is more popularly known as the tree of life. It looks like an evergreen coniferous tree that reaches a height of 15-20 meters. In appearance, the crown of the tree may resemble a cypress, but unlike it, the thuja fruits are oblong in shape, brown in color and look like cones.
Thuja occidentalis saturates the air well with negative air ions in a dry, closed room, as well as phytoncides, which help eliminate spores of many fungi and various bacteria.
On the small needles and leaves of thuja there is a charge of static electricity, which, like a magnet, attracts dust particles and specks, thus cleaning the air in the room. This is why you can often see an accumulation of dirt on the thuja, and to remove it, just wash the plant in the shower and it will again perform its cleansing functions.
It is very important to inhale the aroma of wood, which can saturate the body with new strength and renew concentration, which is why thuja occidentalis can often be found in offices. The tree of life perfectly helps restore a person’s emotional and physical state after a long illness or stress.
Tree of Life Habitats
The thuja occidentalis plant can be found throughout to the globe. There are five species in the wild coniferous tree: Japanese, Korean, Chinese, folded and Western. It is the latter that has a number of excellent healing properties that are widely used in medicine.
The plant’s birthplace is rightfully considered Southeast Asia, and later it was brought to Europe and America by sailors. Subsequently, thuja was brought to Russia and now it can be found throughout the territory of our vast homeland. It is known that even the ancient Greeks used it as an aroma tree, as an incense during their rituals of sacrifice to the gods.
Independent of the Greeks, the Indians first discovered healing properties plants. They used it as a treatment for rheumatism, and as a prophylactic substance for infectious diseases. They also prepared healing decoctions with which they removed polyps and warts.
Despite beneficial features plants, the Indians knew about toxic substances, which were contained in the tree, so the dosage of medicinal substances was especially carefully measured.
Thuja got its name “tree of life” thanks to the French, who met it in 1566. The then monk of France received a thuja as a gift from sailors from North America, and he liked this tree so much that he ordered it to be planted throughout Paris. Soon the trees began to be trimmed, giving them sophisticated beautiful shapes. After the next pruning, the tree smelled even more, and this is what evoked associations with the endless power of life of the plant, hence the name “tree of life.” Now it is one of the best garden and park crops, which retains its beauty throughout the year.
Harvesting the plant
Since thuja is an evergreen tree, it is harvested only when necessary. The collection is mainly carried out in May - June, when maximum height plant sprouts. They contain a huge concentration of all useful substances and connections. After collection, the needles are dried in the shade and subsequently used as prescribed by a doctor.
Chemical composition of the plant
Although thuja occidentalis has been known to every herbalist for quite some time, its vitamin and mineral composition has not yet been thoroughly studied. It contains tannins, sawn, thujone, fidren, resins, cedrol, as well as essential oils with a wonderful aroma.
Medicinal properties
Today, many medical preparations are produced, which include thuja occidentalis. Thanks to it, they acquire a number of useful properties:
- anti-inflammatory;
- antimicrobial;
- antibacterial;
- anthelmintics;
- antiallergic;
- hemostatic;
- anthelmintics;
- expectorants;
- tonic;
- wound healing,
- cytostatic,
- sweatshops.
In addition to medicines, an ointment is made from thuja occidentalis, which successfully treats cystic formations and nodules of the mammary and thyroid glands. It is also an integral component in the treatment of breast mastopathy, skin rashes and pulmonary inflammation. The ointment is prepared on the basis of an alcohol extract from young tree shoots, glycerin and palm oil, which is the basis for the resulting mixture.
Use of thuja essential oil
Essential oil is used for a number of diseases associated with:
- elimination of kidney stones;
- cystitis;
- pyelonephritis;
- congestive and inflammatory processes of the prostate;
- varicose veins;
- rheumatism.
The oil also helps restore nervous system, perfectly strengthens the immune system and helps eliminate slagging from the body. Thanks to its resinous aroma, the oil perfectly helps restore physical strength the body after severe stress, physical exertion and complex illnesses. A couple of drops essential oil An aroma lamp will help to concentrate attention, so you can often feel the light aroma of thuja in offices.
It is worth noting that the oil also increases libido and is part of many aphrodisiacs, so it is recommended for use in cases of impotence and frigidity in women.
Use in folk medicine
Thuja occidentalis is widely used in homeopathy.
Thuja was also used as a prophylactic after suspicious sexual relations. In addition, it is used:
- as a tincture in the treatment of hydrocele;
- as an essence in the treatment of warts and various growths;
- in the treatment of prostatitis, conjunctivitis and rhinitis.
Many herbalists advise using the tree of life to treat calluses, bald patches and gray hair, and also as a prophylactic for dermatitis and dermatoses.
In modern medicine, an infusion of thuja leaves is used to eliminate warts, psoriasis and various other skin diseases.
In folk medicine, the plant is mainly used in alcoholic and aqueous forms. Very often, decoctions from the “tree of life” are used for liver diseases, joint pain and ascariasis. Using douching, the decoction is used for cervical erosions, endocervicitis and colpitis.
Application in cosmetology
Thanks to its excellent antiseptic properties, thuja occidentalis is widely used in cosmetology. It can be used in the preparation of tinctures and decoctions, which help make the skin of the face and neck more elastic and beautiful, and also eliminate minor blemishes.
So, to combat acne, you need to wash your face every day with an infusion, which can be prepared from one tablespoon of crushed pine needles and half a liter cold water. Mix everything and bring to a boil, then leave the product for three hours and then you can use it. You can also increasingly find the plant in various body oils and cosmetic creams.
Contraindications for use
It is important to remember that thuja oil must be taken with caution. It contains a powerful toxin - thujone, which has abortifacient properties, so it is contraindicated for pregnant women, as it can lead to miscarriage.
Remember that this plant is quite poisonous. Therefore, it is important to stick to dosages and always consult your doctor.
Do not give infusions and decoctions from the plant to young children. Their body is not strong enough to withstand some components of the plant and can lead to severe poisoning of the body.
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