Eastern thuja (Thuja orientalis)
Appearance: Evergreen coniferous tree up to 20-30 meters. Narrow cone-shaped crown in younger trees, sometimes multi-peak, in older ones a bit wider and sometimes devoid of the typical form of the species. Branches relatively short, quite loosely arranged, almost always steeply upward, almost naked in the lower sections. Twigs always perpendicular (perpendicularly). Dull bark, brown-red or brown-nave, slightly furrowed, falls off in narrow longitudinal strands.
Coarse scaly leaves, blinded, slightly curved inwards at the ends, on both sides of the same green color. Dead parts change color to rusty brown (important difference to the very similar looking species of Chamaecyparis!).
Male flowers quite small, on the tops of the twigs, yellowish, slightly hanging or tilted. Female narrow-oval cones, with oblong scales, which protrude from the root to the top and thus clearly differ from the spherical form of the cones of cypresses and cypresses. Individual scales of cones, approx 1 cm, with hooked outgrowths on top, are arranged in two rows; brownish when ripe. The green parts of the thuja do not have the typical fruity smell when rubbed!
Occurrence: This species is native to China, Japan, Mandzuri and Korea. It is planted in many varieties in gardens and parks, but mostly in cemeteries. Except for characters with a typical habit, usually very slender, there are also dwarf varieties, which are especially numerous in gardens or planted in pots on terraces and balconies.
Flowering period; March to April. General thoughts: Thuja species (Thuja) at first glance, they are certainly not easy to distinguish from very similar cypress trees (Chamaecyparis). Both show a very similar form of growth with only slight differences in the shape of the shoot, Both of them also have flat twigs with leaves in the shape of scales, so characteristic of Cypress trees, which is best viewed with a good magnifier, to accurately identify subtle details. Even so, there are some characteristics. In addition to those already mentioned, discoloration of leaves and cone forms (look up), there is one more feature. If you can clearly feel the buds at the ends of the twigs, it is almost always about the Thuja species. In cypresses, the buds are too small, so that you can feel them by touch. The wood of thuja species is very strong, and usually quite light. They are used in furniture and modeling carpentry. For the outer casing it is less useful.