Hedge
Common Name: American arborvitae
Type: Needled evergreen
Family: Cupressaceae
Zone: 3 to 7
Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: Non-flowering
Bloom Description: Non-flowering
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Leaf: Fragrant, Evergreen
Other: Winter Interest
Tolerate: Clay Soil, Black Walnut, Air Pollution
Culture
Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Somewhat wide range of soil tolerance, but prefers moist, neutral to alkaline, well-drained loams. Intolerant of dry conditions. Best in full sun, but generally appreciates some light afternoon shade in hot summer climates. Avoid full shade where foliage density will substantially decrease. Avoid exposed, windy sites.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Thuja occidentalis, commonly known as American arborvitae, Eastern arborvitae, Eastern white cedar or Northern white cedar, is a dense, conical to narrow-pyramidal (sometimes maturing to broad-pyramidal), often single-trunked, evergreen tree that is native to eastern and central Canada south to northern Illinois, Ohio and New York with scattered populations further south in the Appalachians to North Carolina. Mature trees may reach 40-60' tall in the wild over time, but in cultivation typically grow much smaller to 20-30' tall. Scale-like, aromatic, yellow-green to green foliage appears in flattened sprays. Red-brown bark will exfoliate on mature branches and trunks.
Genus name is the Greek name for a kind of juniper (Juniperus.)
Specific epithet means from the Western (Occidental) world.
The common name of arborvitae (tree of life) comes from early French settlers to North America who learned from Native Americans that the tree’s foliage could be used to treat scurvy.
'Bobozam' is a dwarf American arborvitae that typically grows in a globular form to 2-3' tall and as wide. It rarely needs pruning. Dense, lacy, thread-like, blue-green foliage is soft to the touch. 'Bobozam' is commonly sold in commerce under the trade name of MR. BOWLING BALL. U.S. Trademark for MR. BOWLING BALL was issued to James Zampini on April 29, 2003 under the descriptive category of Live Plants.
This cultivar is synonymous with Thuja occidentalis 'Linesville' of the same plant description. 'Linesville' was discovered around 1985 by Joe Stupka as a witches broom growing in a cemetery near Linesville, Pennsylvania. Stupka later sold the rights to the plant to Zampini.
Problems
Leaf blight may cause some foliage to spot and drop. Watch for canker. Leaf miner may damage leaf tips. Bagworms, mealybug, scales and spider mites are occasional visitors. Foliage may show some winter burn (turns yellow-brown) in exposed sites. Susceptible to damage/stem breakage in winter from ice and snow accumulations.
Uses
Good landscape specimen/accent. Foundations. Shrub borders. Rock gardens.