Thuja Plicata Excelsa is a fast-growing, easy-to-maintain variety of Thuja that is well suited for hedging, screening and gaining privacy. This giant evergreen conifer has dark green, shiny leaves that produce an aromatic scent when crushed. It produces clusters of small cones in spring which turn to brown at maturity. The Thuja is a great conifer as a better behaved version of the conifer family and isn't as troublesome as the leylandii but does an equally good but more manageable job.