An Ideal Dwarf Tree For Your Patio That'll Provide Privacy In Winter
If you've ever tried to relax on your patio but had a sense of being watched, you know that privacy is a desirable feature in an outdoor area. Lots of options are available, but if you're looking for a natural look and feel, it's hard to beat plants, like shrubs and trees, as a privacy screen. Privacy is not the only advantage of plants as a screen; they also act as a sound buffer and wind screen.
A promising candidate as one of the best plants to use to create a private patio space is a relative newcomer to the tree world. Fluffy® Western arborvitae (Thuja plicata) is a showy tree patented in 2019. This dwarf tree offers striking lime and gold foliage even in winter and is easy to maintain. It offers a pleasing pyramidal shape and resists windburn.
Named for the texture and appearance of its foliage, Fluffy® Western arborvitae exemplifies the "plicata" (meaning "braided") part of its scientific name with the braided appearance of its foliage. The fast-growing Fluffy® Western arborvitae is also deer resistant, though it's not a bad idea to protect young plants from hungry visitors.
Make a patio privacy screen with Fluffy® Western arborvitae
Fluffy® Western arborvitae is cold hardy in USDA Hardiness zones 5 through 8. Plant it in nutrient-rich, moist, well-drained soil, placing a layer of shredded bark mulch around the roots to help conserve soil moisture, particularly during the winter months. It is not drought-tolerant, so will need regular watering. The best time to fertilize arborvitae plants is in early spring. Fluffy® Western arborvitae is quite fond of sun, so place it where it will get plenty of full-to-part sun exposure, and ideally a bit of afternoon shade.
Fluffy® Western arborvitae should not need pruning, though pinching it back can result in improved branching. If you decide to prune, do so when new foliage is emerging in the spring. You can propagate the tree from softwood cuttings. Plan for the eventuality that this tree will reach 10- to 15-feet high, with a of 4- to 6-foot spread, making Fluffy® Western arborvitae one of the best winter plants for patio privacy.