Thuja Orientalis - 0.5 kg Seeds

Platycladus orientalis (Platycladus orientalis, syn. Thuja orientalis), the oriental arborvitae or Chinese thuja, known in India as morpankhi, is a dense, columnar to conical evergreen conifer growing 5-10 m, often kept smaller by clipping. Its distinctive flattened sprays of scale-like aromatic foliage are held in vertical planes like the feathers of a peacock's tail, and it bears fleshy, blue-grey cones that ripen woody. Native to East Asia, it is one of the most widely planted ornamental conifers across the Indian plains and hills.

It is grown almost entirely as an ornamental and landscaping plant, used for formal and informal hedges, screens, gateposts, avenue and foundation planting, topiary and large containers because it is hardy and trims neatly. The aromatic foliage is mildly insect-repellent, and the seeds and leaves have a long history of use in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine.

• Family: Cupressaceae
• Native region: East Asia (widely cultivated in India)
• Mature height: 5-10 m
• Growth rate: Slow to moderate

Sowing the seed: germination improves with a cold treatment, so cold-stratify the seeds in moist sand in a refrigerator for about 2-4 weeks, or soak them in water for 24 hours, before sowing. Surface sow or barely cover with about 0.5 cm of fine, well-drained moist mix and keep cool, humid and in bright indirect light; germination is slow and uneven, typically taking 21-30 days or more. Prick the seedlings into pots when large enough to handle and grow them on in partial shade before planting out.