Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Plant snobs, yes, even the kindest and sweetest of gardeners have their moments of human frailty, often complain about people who prune their boxwoods and hollies into “little green meatballs.” This practice is harmful as it requires a constant battle against the natural shape of those species. If only these persons would consider planting some of the “globular” cultivars of Thuja occidentalis. This native tree which reaches forty feet or more in nature has been tweaked by plant breeders and now comes in such wonderfully named cultivars as “Mr. Bowling Ball. Hetz Midget is a light green ball-shape of the same size. Thujas naturally assume a globe or pyramid shape which is attractive and, if properly selected for mature size, require little pruning. In South Carolina, sadly, their use is limited by the fact that deer absolutely adore them.
Atlantic White Cedar
