Thuja occidentalis 'Brabant'

Thuja occidentalis 'Brabant' typically grows around 30 to 40cm a year once established, and sometimes more on moist, fertile soil. That makes it one of the quicker evergreen hedges, while still being much easier to control than leylandii, which can put on 60 to 90cm a year.

Spacing depends on how wide the plants are supplied: divide 100 by the width in centimetres, so a plant 50cm wide is planted at 2 per metre. Younger, slimmer plants of 80 to 125cm usually go in at around 2 to 3 per metre. The Form Plants team confirms spacing for each order.

Thuja 'Brabant' is broader and faster growing, at around 30 to 40cm a year, so it suits tall screens and quick privacy. Thuja 'Smaragd' is narrow and columnar, grows more slowly at around 15 to 30cm a year, needs less clipping and keeps a brighter emerald green in winter. Both are forms of Thuja occidentalis.

Yes. Thuja 'Brabant' gives a dense, tall evergreen screen but grows at roughly half the rate of leylandii, so it is far easier to keep at a set height. It also has softer, aromatic foliage and needs fewer heavy cuts to stay in shape.

Thuja does not reliably regrow from bare brown wood, so it is best not to cut back into old growth. Trim little and often within the green foliage two or three times a year, and keep the hedge slightly narrower at the top so the base stays well clothed.

The most common causes of browning in a young thuja hedge are dry roots in the first summers, drying winds, cutting into old wood or waterlogged soil. Regular deep watering, a good mulch and clipping only into green growth keep the hedge healthy. Some bronzing of the foliage in a cold winter is natural and greens up again in spring.

Thuja is harmful if eaten, as its foliage contains thujone, and it can upset dogs, cats and horses that chew it. The foliage can also irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves when clipping and clear up the clippings.

A Thuja 'Brabant' hedge can be kept anywhere from about 1.5m to 4m or more, and it is easy to hold at around 2m to 3m with regular clipping. Left unclipped, it would grow into a large conical tree.

Trim Thuja 'Brabant' two or three times a year between late spring and late summer, usually in May or June and again in August or early September. Avoid clipping in very hot, dry weather, and always check for nesting birds first.

The cost depends on the height and tier you choose. Value plants are younger plants for longer runs on a budget that knit together over a few seasons, while Premium plants are fuller, taller root-balled plants for an instant screen. Live prices and sizes are shown on this page, and the team confirms quantities and pricing for each order.

Yes. You are welcome to visit the Form Plants showroom at Row Town in Surrey, open Monday to Saturday and on bank holidays, to see the hedging and choose your plants. You can simply pop in during opening hours, or book a Genus Bar appointment for unhurried time with the team and help with quantities.

Yes, Form Plants delivers nationwide. Our in-house team arranges every delivery and can offload larger root-balled plants and instant hedge elements by HIAB or Moffett crane where access allows. Delivery is quoted for each order depending on size, quantity and location.