Looking for something tall, green and elegant...something easy to grow that doesn't mind being neglected? Well, look no further!

The Thuja occidentalis 'Smaragd' or American arborvitae is a hardy evergreen shrub that is easily grown in a wide range of soils. Tall and elegant, 'Smaragd' require almost no care when used as a hedge, screen or foundation planting. These contented evergreen shrubs make great accents for doors and garden gates in pairs, while single specimens are often used to soften house corners. Single specimens grow to about 20'-30' at maturity with a 12' spread in urban settings, while hedgerows typically grow 10-12' with a 36" spread, so plant shrubs 3 feet apart for a hedgerow.

'Smaragd' is easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade and is equally happy in urns and large containers as it is in the ground. It prefers humid weather with regular rains, so during hot, dry spells periodic, deep waterings are essential, especially when 'Smaragd' shrubs are grown as foundation plants.

This is an evergreen that appreciates a good root zone mulch, so keep a good layer of mulch on at all times and keep watered, especially if you are using 'Smaragd' shrubs as container specimens. Be sure to prune in early spring before new growth emerges.

The narrowly pyramidal, semi-dwarf evergreen shape makes these shrubs a natural choice for windbreaks. Providing shelter in the winter and nesting sites for grackles, robins and house finches in the summer, this evergreen also provides food for deer, cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hares and other wildlife. The seeds are eaten by red squirrels, and birds such as pine siskins. It has glossy, bright green foliage in flat sprays and urn-shaped cones to 1/2" long, which mature in autumn to a lustrous reddish-brown.

Perhaps no other single plant or tree can add as much value to a garden landscape as a Japanese maple. They look great planted as a centerpiece in mounds or garden islands, plus they make excellent container plants for a patio or terrace. Japanese maples are also used quite extensively as bonsai specimens.

What makes this tree so popular is that it is available in many sizes, colors, leaf shapes, and growing habits. The color of Japanese maples ranges from bright green and variegated to shades of orange, red, and purple. The fall foliage on most varieties is beautiful. You can find single-stemmed specimens, multi-trunk, and low-growing mounded varieties.

This versatile tree can be planted any time of the year in most regions of the U.S., as long as the soil is not soggy. They require a location with good drainage and prefer protection from the wind. Avoid planting them in lawn areas, because lawns receive more frequent watering than Japanese maples require. Use red- and purple-shaded varieties against light-colored fences and walls, or to set off other plants. Use green-leafed varieties in shadier areas, against plain fences or darker shaded walls.

Most Japanese maples prefer a morning sun/afternoon shade or full shade location but will acclimate quite well after a few years planted in full sun, provided the soil around them is kept consistently moist. The key to watering Japanese maples is slow, deep and regular waterings. Never let the tree dry out. The soil should be kept moist, not wet.

Japanese maples are not heavy feeders, and can burn from too much or too strong a plant food. We recommend feeding twice a year during the growing season. It is important not to cultivate around the root zone. A 2" layer of mulch will help keep the upper layer of soil moist and help prevent soil crusting and weeds.

Pay us a visit and let one of our nursery experts help you pick the perfect Japanese maple tree for your garden.

McAdam's Sale of the Week:
All Arborvitaes 20% off, May 7th-May 13th. While supplies last!

May 9th-10th: Mother's Day!
Honor mom with a blooming Mother's Day Gift that will flourish for years to come. Save 15% on all Azaleas and Hydrangeas.

May 23rd-24th-25th: Memorial Day!
Plant a tree in memory of someone you love. Save 15% on trees over $250.

For our full year calendar of events, please click here. (pdf)

Look out into your yard. Do any of your trees have a neon sign flashing “Food Food Food--The Place to Eat!”? Most people did not plant their trees to create a fast food station for insects. Could someone please tell this to the voracious Japanese beetle?

Native to Japan, as the name suggests, this beetle is a huge pest in the eastern USA and, unfortunately, it is moving west. The adult is oblong with metallic green coloration. The larva or grub lives in the soil and feed on roots.

Japanese beetles are chewers, and they can chew alone or in a crowd. Together--maybe celebrating every beetle's birthday--they can chew their way along and completely defoliate a tree or shrub in short order. The list of host plants is long, very long.

How do you manage Japanese beetles? They do have a few natural predators (predatory wasps), but these predators are not as effective with the Japanese beetle as other beneficial insects are with aphids, mealybugs, etc. If you see only one or two, you can hand pick them and squish, drown or flush.

When there are only a few Japanese beetles on a tree or shrub, handpicking removal is actually effective. The beetle is releasing pheromones that will attract masses of Japanese beetles. Collecting up the few that you observe, and even hosing down the plant, will help stave off the arrival of more adult beetles.

But if you have a tree teeming with them, there are a few treatments to try. One is a yellow target trap that is treated with a lure to attract the beetle. These traps are effective, too, (for the same reason hand-picking collection works) when numbers of pests are low.

The grubs, larvae of the beetle, can be killed by introducing parasitic nematodes. Or there are other pesticides available that will target the larvae. Don’t hesitate to consult with one of our salespeople.