Four years of Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb Gold'

11 years ago

One of the very best small gold plants, it does tend to burn in full sun but handles 4-6 hours of sun in most climates. Too much shade will result in a light green plant. It grows an inch or so a year and is gold for the entire four seasons with the right sunlight. A classic for collectors, a winner for every garden.

Early Summer, 2009. Coenosium Garden source(and they had some real beauties last time I visited).

2010

2011

2012 - Winter. Not much larger than the original photo.

-Will

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Comments (7)

severnside
11 years ago
Third and fouth pics, the juniper and pine have receded, did you trim them both. Also were there particularly hot spells to cause the burn damage that was not around in 2009 and 2010?
firefightergardener
Original Author
11 years ago
I've trimmed the juniper last Winter and this one. Pinus sylvestris 'Calle' also towered over this little guy, blocking part of the hottest sun the first two years. It was moved last Spring. I really don't think there is much 'burn' present, in fact in the most recent photo, to me anyways, it shows a little bit too much shade-coloring.

Our 'hot spells' are weeks of low 80s and a few days in the 90s. It doesn't really compare to the Midwest of the US.

-Will
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fotisr
11 years ago
Will, thank you for continuing this parade of cultivars. This one is one of my favourites. You know, I have a list of cultivars that my garden should have twice. 'Tom Thumb Gold' is on the top places of this list along with 'Golden Spreader', 'Kohout's Icebreaker','Blaue Hexe' and several others.
For now I only have one thumb. Can't wait to see it develope a leader in later years (I think I've seen an Iseli image of a pyramidal thumb but I can't find it now).
Here is my ball of gold. On the right. 3-4 hours of morning sun and then light to deep shade does the trick for beautiful gold color on my specimen.

Best regards,
Fotis
coniferjoy
11 years ago
Fotis, the 'Tom Thumb Gold'won't make a leader.
The one you have in mind is the Iseli 'Skylands Seedling #1'
{{gwi:869562}}

{{gwi:869563}}

Pictures taken by our forum friend Randall Smith.
Randall, what's that compact part on the left half side?
To me it looks like a branchmutation or maybe a witches' broom...
fotisr
11 years ago
Yeah, that's the one I thought it was TTG. It's ok though. I'll live with it being a ball forever. Perfect cultivar anyway. Edwin, I want a second one when you have some good sized ones! :)

Fotis
PRO
Katsura Gardens
11 years ago
Edwin, I took this pic today w my iphone of a Skylands Seedling. notice the bottom left just as in the pic from Randall Smith. I noticed it about a year ago and thought it might be a broom...

john
coniferjoy
11 years ago
I'm sorry to say John, but I think that part isn't a witches' broom.
That part is growing in shade, that's why it's colour is a nice lemon without any sunburn.
Imo it would be better for this specimen if it was standing in a more shady location so the nice lemon colour whas spread all over it...