| General Description | A rather small dwarf conifer that grows globular in shape. This shrub has a very rounded shape to it and grows low to the ground. It is ideal for landscaping and tolerant to urban areas. The foliage is green, dense and scale-like. |
| ID Characteristic | About 1.2 m tall and wide, has a natural rounded growth habit. It has very attractive dense green foliage growing low to the ground. Slow growing and easy to maintain, water weekly. |
| Shape | It has a very rounded natural shape to it, grows low to the ground and will rarely grow larger than 1.2 m. |
| Landscape | 'Hetz Midget' is relatively small and ideal for gardens with a limited amount of space. It is great for adding interest in the winter months and is also a great accent shrub during the spring/summer. 'Hetz Midget' is a suitable container plant normally placed on a patio or porch. It looks great in massing or as a specimen. |
| Propagation | Take cuttings from current years wood, heal attached. Take the cuttings anytime from January through to the end of March. Keep the cuttings in relatively high humidity and root in sandy soil. |
| Cultivation | Transplants well from balled and burlapped and containers. It does particularly well in areas with relatively high atmospheric moisture. Also, it prefers a well-drained moist soil. Once established it will be able to tolerate a considerable amount of drought and heat. |
| Pests | T. occidentalis 'Hetz Midget' is subject to spider mites, heart rot, bagworm and leaf miner. |
| Notable Specimens | The University of Guelph Arboretum, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description | T. occidentalis 'Hetz Midget' does not have bark of particular interest because its foliage is so dense that the bark is normally not visible. The bark is however a greyish brown with a fissured look to it. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The buds are cone-shaped, red to light brown in colour and non-resinous. |
| Leaf Description | Has green, scale-like foliage arranged in sprays with a formidable scent given off when crushed. T. occidentalis 'Hetz Midget' has dense leaves giving this plant a very compact look. The leaves are also very flat looking. |
| Flower Description | Has very small flowers that are very inconspicuous. They are however, solitary, and terminal. |
| Fruit Description | Female specimens grow cones with a small terminal hook. The cones are yellowish-green when young and turn brown when they have matured, (2 cm in length.) |
| Colour Description | Has dense dark green coloured foliage that turns a purple-bronze in the winter. The bark is greyish brown. |
| Texture Description | T. occidentalis 'Hetz Midget' has a medium to fine texture. |
