Thuja plicata 'Haley Bop' is arguably one of most unique miniature conifers ever found. Imagine a lumpy crumpled mass of bright green vegetation that looks more like some sort of cactus than a conifer and you will be begin to get the picture. Annual rate of growth is only around 0.25 inch (0.5 cm) meaning a 10-year-old plant will only measure 3 to 4 inches (7.5 - 10 cm) tall and wide.
This cultivar was discovered by Dick North in a flat of Western Red cedar seedlings that was said to have been irradiated by the cosmic rays of Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997, causing the genetic mutation.
This is a delicate and extremely slow-growing cultivar of a magnificent timber tree that, if found, should be planted within the protected confines of a rock garden.
