Western Red Cedar 'Smagard' — this is a decorative evergreen tree with a narrow, regular conical crown and densely located vertical branches. The height of the plant reaches from 3 to 6 meters, and the width of the crown is about 1-2 meters. The foliage of the cedar is small, scale-like, of a rich emerald-green color, which is retained even in the winter period, which is one of the distinctive features of the variety. The bark of the trunk is dark-brown or grayish-brown with longitudinal grooves, and the one-year-old shoots have green coloring with reddish-brown bases.
This variety of cedar was bred in Denmark in the mid-20th century and since then has gained widespread popularity due to its decorativeness and endurance. Cedar 'Smagard' differs in moderate growth rate — annual growth in height is from 10 to 30 cm, and in width about 4 cm. The plant reaches generative maturity at 7-8 years and can live up to 100-150 years. Thanks to its frost resistance and shade tolerance, as well as the ability to withstand urban conditions well, this variety is widely used in landscape design for creating living hedges, formed green walls and figures.
For successful growing of cedar 'Smagard' it is recommended to choose sunny or slightly shaded places with fertile, moist, but well-drained soil. The plant prefers fresh loams and soils containing lime, and does not tolerate waterlogging. Moderate growth rate reduces the need for frequent pruning — it is enough to trim the tops to maintain the desired height, and the side branches usually do not require correction if it is not necessary to form a flat green wall. To maintain a decorative appearance, mulching of the soil and use of fertilizers is recommended, which contributes to healthy development and rich foliage coloring.
