Shelter Belts

This form was imported for its outstanding qualities. Green Giant has excellent form, vigour and hardiness. All plants are produced by cutting. It provides consistency in a hedge not possible from seedlings. In ideal situations Thuja ‘Green Giant’ will grow up to 1 metre per year. We recommend planting them 1.5 metres apart. They bud back wonderfully from old wood so if the hedge happens to be trimmed to harshly it will recover.

What makes Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® different?

This form was selected for its outstanding qualities. The form showed exceptional form, vigour and hardiness. From this original all subsequent plants were produced by cutting. This is a key part of the process. It provides consistancy in a hedge not possible from seedlings. In ideal situations Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’ will grow up to 1 metre per year. We recommend planting them 1.5 metres apart. A stake is also beneficial to the plant in the first year.

New Zealand’s leading shelter belt tree

Cedar Lodge Nurseries are proud to offer Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont®’ to the market. 30 years ago we recognized a need for cutting grown Cryptomeria (Japanese cedar) after observing the short falls of seedlings. Seedling Cryptomeria were intolerant of our strong Taranaki winds and tended to grow very inconsistently. As a result we have developed a superior shelterbelt form with superb branching and vigor. We now have demand for Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® in the tens of thousands.

Many of you will have seen or may even have seedling Cryptomeria hedge lines. The performance of these seedlings will be irregular at best. With the introduction of our cutting grown Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® we now have a young adult tree that bypasses the delicate juvenile stage. The result is a quality, uniform hedge line.

The growth rate of the cutting grown Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® is at least equal to if not better than any other evergreen shelter tree. Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® withstands heavy trimming well and can be kept very narrow. It filters the wind rather than creating a solid barrier which causes turbulence on the leeward side. Many thousands have been planted nationwide over the last 30 years and are now showing up as impressive shelter belts. We have found that they are not suitable in the very dry regions of Gisbourne and Central Canterbury.

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® is very reliable, it has no disease or pest issues, in particular soil pathogens (root rot) have no effect.

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® has primarily been sold for shelterbelt plantings, but some timber plantations have been established. This brings up the subject of Cryptomeria for timber production. Cryptomeria is a native of Japan where it is the main timber-producing tree. It could be a worthy alternative to Pinus radiata. Our experience of growing trees and when asked by customers what to grow for timber other than Radiata we find it difficult to recommend anything other than Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’®.

Our many years of growing conifers in our nursery has demonstrated to us that the incidence of cypress canker cannot be ignored and we cannot recommend any of the Cupressus varieties for plantation forestry or shelter belts.

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Egmont’® is the way of the future for shelter belts and is showing huge potential for timber production as well.