Anna's Magic Ball Arborvitae

This miniature, evergreen conifer forms into almost perfectly rounded and tight balls covered in light and airy foliage that is bright yellow during the growing season. During winter, the foliage takes on more of a golden hue, bringing even more color and interest to cold, winter gardens containing plants that have dropped their leaves. No matter the season, Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae is sure to bring bright and robust color to any area of the landscape where it is utilized.

Growing Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae

Those living in areas of the country where winter lows reach down to -20°F to -30°F won’t have any problems with Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae taking the cold temperatures. One of its best attributes is the miniature shrub’s resistance to winter burn. In fact, this is the perfect evergreen for those living in temperate areas of the country located no warmer than conditions found in USDA planting zone 7. Anna’s Magic Ball® adds its warm, golden color to even the coldest and bleakest landscapes during winter.

Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae has a moderate rate of growth, so once planted in a preferred site you won’t have to wait eons for it to achieve its mature height and width. If you consider yourself a lazy gardener or one who kills everything they touch, then this tough little conifer is a spot-on choice for you. When grown in preferred conditions, Anna’s Magic Ball® is known for its hardiness and low-maintenance requirements.

In fact, with its tight, compact form, you do not even have to worry about pruning the shrub for shaping purposes. Other than regular watering, your only chore is to feed it each spring with most formulas meant for trees. An annual spring feeding should keep your Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae thriving with healthy and attractive growth for years to come.

Uses on Your Property

When it comes to its usefulness in the garden, Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae is one little workhorse. It brings its cheery yellow, evergreen color to a variety of situations and even performs very well grown in containers or raised planter boxes. When used in containers or planter boxes, its dramatically colored foliage dresses up an entranceway or patio.

Do you desire some color but don’t have much room? Then Anna’s Magic Ball® is the perfect solution to those small, hard to fill spaces. Its diminutive and compact habit, bright and breezy foliage is sure to add interest to even the tiniest garden gaps where greenery is needed. In addition, it is a great choice for fall and winter gardens, as the yellow foliage takes on a more golden hue, bringing color and form to even the dreariest areas.

With Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae’s low-maintenance requirements and ease of growth, it grows well used as an addition to Zen or rock gardens. The small shrub is suitable to be used as a low-growing groundcover, used in mass groupings, lining borders or walkways or foundation planting. Its small size makes it a good addition to miniature and fairy gardens. As long as you plant in a location where all its growing requirements are met, Anna’s Magic Ball’s uses are almost endless.

Planting Location

When planted and grown in its preferred location, Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae should give you years of healthy and problem-free growth. If you decide to plant in containers, just make sure to use one that has bottom drainage to prevent problems with rot. Use a rich, well-drained potting mix to grow the shrub and use a container that is one size larger than the Arborvitae’s present one.

When planting out in the landscape, make sure to choose a location that receives full to partial sun throughout the day. Although Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae tolerates growing in a wide range of well-drained soils, it performs best when planted in deep, fertile soil that drains well. If preferred, you can amend the planting site with well-rotted compost or manure before planting.

During the first season of growth, be sure to water your Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae several times each week while its root system establishes itself into the new site. Although relatively drought-tolerant once established, you want to get it off to the best start during its first year and especially if your conditions are hot and dry. If growing in containers, water when the top couple of inches feel dry to the touch.

History and Origins of Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae

Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae or Thuja occidentalis ‘Anna van Vloten’ is a miniature cultivar from its parent Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis. It is a registered plant (USPP 25,868), which means asexual reproduction of plants protected by the Plant Patent Act is prohibited during the life of the patent. Rest assured, when you receive one of our Anna’s Magic Ball® Arborvitae you are receiving a healthy plant that has been grown and cared for its entire life in a nursery environment. It is sure to grace your landscape with its colorful beauty for many years.