By Chatbud
Singapore 
I have this arborvitae for close to 3 months now (think it's the 'Emerald Green'). It's about a feet tall. I understand it's a very slow-growing shrub. But is there any sure way of knowing it's growing? It stands in a clay pot next to the cypress goldcrest (which reacted very fast to my lousy watering.)
While the cypress goldcrest started showing how it felt by having brown tips just a few days after being transplanted, the arborvitae gives no signs of how it feels. It just stands there green and pretty. Looking closer I can see pointy lighter green tips curling outwards but they appear to look the same everyday.
How to tell if my arborvitae is growing and healthy? Is the watering same for the arborvitae and the cypress goldcrest?
(I'm at East Asia, 34 deg C daytime, humidity 60-90%)
6 May, 2013
Answers
Oh, I thought it's a pretty common name. It is also known as Thuja - a conifer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arborvitae
I noticed yesterday the very top is showing new lighter green tips that are rolling out. I don't believe I've seen them b4.
9 May, 2013
Hi Chatbud, thuja belongs in a genus of 5 species of conifers, which should be grown in a moist, but well drained soil, so the watering regime will be more or less the same as for the goldcrest.
I noticed that you commented on a question about Bouganvillea, where you are it will be grown outside with no problem, but unfortunately not so in the uk, glad your broken piece rooted for you. Derek.
9 May, 2013
Thank you Derek, for your many replies.
Yes, I do believe I'm quite blessed to be living in a climate which makes growing easy.
I have been scanning youtube rather frequently these days and have to sympathise with those who live up at the northern hemisphere where snow and winter can take up as long as 5 months in a year and they have to dig up all their plants and bring them all in!
Thank you once again :)
10 May, 2013
Hi Chatbud, sorry you haven't got any answers yet, but I for 1 have never heard of this plant, do you have a botanical name for it please?, Derek.
8 May, 2013