Patent Publication Number: US-PP25363-P2

Title: Thuja plant named ‘MonPin’

Description:
Botanical designation:  Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata.    
     Cultivar denomination: ‘MonPin’. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of  Thuja  plant, botanically known as  Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata , commonly known as Western Arborvitae and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘MonPin’. 
     The new  Thuja  plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of  Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata  ‘Green Giant’, not patented. The new  Thuja  plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Green Giant’ in May, 2007 in an outdoor nursery in Dayton, Oreg. 
     Asexual reproduction of the new  Thuja  plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in Dayton, Oreg. since December, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new  Thuja  plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Plants of the new  Thuja  have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. 
     The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘MonPin’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘MonPin’ as a new and distinct  Thuja  plant:
         1. Compact and upright plant habit; pyramidal plant form.   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy form.   3. Developing leaves are golden yellow to light yellow green in color becoming darker green with development.   4. Good winter hardiness.       

     Plants of the new  Thuja  can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Green Giant’. Plants of the new  Thuja  differ primarily from plants of ‘Green Giant’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Thuja  are more compact than plants of ‘Green Giant’.   2. Plants of the new  Thuja  are denser than and not as open as plants of ‘Green Giant’.   3. Plants of the new  Thuja  and ‘Green Giant’ differ in leaf color as developing leaves of plants of ‘Green Giant’ are bright green in color.       

     Plants of the new  Thuja  can be compared to plants of  Thuja occidentalis , ‘Brandon’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new  Thuja  differed primarily from plants of ‘Brandon’ in the following characteristics:
         1. Plants of the new  Thuja  were more compact than plants of ‘Brandon’.   2. Plants of the new  Thuja  grew slower than plants of ‘Brandon’.   3. Plants of the new  Thuja  and ‘Brandon’ differed in leaf color as developing leaves of plants of ‘Brandon’ are bright green in color.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS 
       The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new  Thuja  plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new  Thuja  plant. 
       The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘MonPin’. 
       The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘MonPin’. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION 
     The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in five-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Dayton, Oreg. and under cultural practices typical of commercial  Thuja  plant production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 4° C. to 32° and night temperatures ranged from −2° C. to 15° C. Plants were 44 months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.
     Botanical classification:  Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata  ‘MonPin’.   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of  Thuja standishii×Thuja plicata  ‘Green Giant’, not patented.   Propagation:
             Type .—By cuttings.     Time to produce rooted young plants .—About two to three months at soil temperatures of at 16° C. to 24° C.     Root description .—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in color.     Rooting habit .—Moderately freely branching; medium density.       
       Plant description:
             Plant and growth habit .—Perennial evergreen shrub; compact plant habit and upright pyramidal plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit; medium to slow growth rate.     Plant height .—About 74 cm.     Plant diameter, base .—About 48 cm.     Plant diameter, apex .—About 4 cm.     Branching habit .—Freely branching habit with about 26 lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy habit; plants can be sheared to maintain overall plant shape.     Lateral branch description .—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to 8 mm; main trunk, about 3.2 cm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm to 5.4 cm. Aspect: Main branch, upright; lateral branches curving upward. Strength: Strong. Texture, developing branches: Slightly scaly. Texture, main trunk: Woody. Color: Developing branches: Close to N199C. Developed branches: Close to N199A. Main trunk: Close to 197A to 197B.     Leaf description .—Appearance and arrangement: Flattened and closely appressed, scale-like; opposite, simple; sessile. Length: About 6 mm. Width: About 2 mm to 2.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute to apiculate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Parallel. Fragrance: When crushed, aromatic and cedar-like. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; glandular. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 15C becoming closer to N144A with development; during the winter, developing leaves become darker yellow in color with orange red-colored apices. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A.       
       Cone description: Cone development has not been observed on plants of the new  Thuja.      Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new  Thuja  have been observed have good winter hardiness and to be tolerant to USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8 and AHS Heat Zones 1 to 8.   Pathogen &amp; pest resistance: Plants of the new  Thuja  have not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to  Thuja  plants.