This has been a breakout year when it comes to my prized, golden needle conifers by the name of Fluffy. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved them from the start, but they were trial-sized in the beginning, which was 5 years ago. So proper spacing meant they would look a little lonely for a while.

This year the partnerships with azaleas were everything I had hoped for. There is nothing like golden chartreuse as a combination with flaming red azaleas. Shoot, pink ones look great too. Fluffy is a funny name for a conifer, though I suppose the name is appropriate in its native Pacific region.

Fluffy has botanical names and common ones too that put fears, unwarranted ones, in the hearts of southerners. Come to think of it, southerners have made dreadful mistakes when it comes to site selection. This is normally associated with a small spot by the front door. The door disappears in a few short years.

The botanical name Thuja seems to always be associated with the wrong plant in the wrong place. Then common names like giant arborvitae, and western redcedar, drum up a lot fears.

In recent years the plant known botanically as Thuja plicata has given us some choice options for evergreen plant material and scintillating texture in the landscape. Fluffy the golden needle selection is one of them. Its size too, may be just perfect for you.

The tag on Fluffy says up to 10 feet tall with a spread of up to 6 feet. That will be just perfect for me, though I’ve built in a little extra room just in case. Other varieties can indeed reach much taller.

As I have told you on more than one occasion, I am somewhat sun-challenged. I do however have enough sun to get needles colored up to a golden chartreuse. Photos from full-sun Pacific locales show golden yellow, which is breathtaking.

I’ve got some, grouped with other conifers like Chamaecyparis, Cryptomeria and Juniperus to give a difference in colors and texture. I am excited about the combinations I've seen with azaleas and remain hopeful with hydrangea partnerships. I have camellias and vitex still in play, but when you talk about combinations with other shrubs it’s kind of like herding cats: You grow faster, and you over there grow slower.

Fluffy and, I presume, all varieties of Thuja plicata have some good traits when it comes to soil. Soil pH from slightly acidic to alkaline will be just fine, including clay, which is not on my desirable list. Fertile, well-drained soil will give you the green thumb.

Fluffy is an attention grabber, a look-at-me plant in the landscape. I’ve shared my companion plants but know that all evergreen hollies would be stunning. I also love their presence in containers mixed with colorful flowers.

We all need bones in the landscape, evergreen plant material, and to me it is extra special when they also grab your attention via golden leaf color. Give Fluffy a try!

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(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Norman Winter receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.)

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