It's around in older plantings here and there, still appears in local outlets. Looks good with camellias. Like those shrubs sometimes becoming quite large after long periods of growth, in suitable locations. Also asked about fairly often on internet boards. Many years ago we had one as a foundation plant, this was removed after the snow pulled it over and I saw that there were badly knotted roots at the stem base - like I see every year on camellias sent to garden centers here from production facilities in California.

There was only a small number of normal roots growing out into the soil beneath our shrub. The rest of the root system looked like a rutabaga. This is what happens when you leave woody plants in quite small pots for a long time, do not pull the roots open when bumping them up into larger pots.

Since this forum is obviously quite dead, maybe next time post about coffin juniper.

Or a willow.

Even though most light is coming from one side, it looks as if the roots are doing their job in keeping the Ternstroemia upright. I probed around a bit with a shovel and it looks as if the roots are well spread out. Looks like I got lucky, ...or planted it right the first time. I haven't always been that fortunate.
I have a Lawson Cypress that fell over because it was pot rootbound. My mistrake. Rather than throw it away I let it be, and it continued growing with about half the rootball exposed. It is now a 15 ft. Hedge.
The other one that fell over because of a rootbound rootball is a Thuja occidentalis, 'Emerald'. I dug it up at about 8 ft. tall with a good rootball. Planted it right next to a small building. It caught more ice on one side that it could hold and fell over. I replanted it. It fell over again. I left it where it fell.
Here it is now with the branches turning into small trees as I limb them up. It's now called 'Phoenix'. It's not dead yet, and neither is this Forum.
Mike

{{gwi:728721}}
South, and the building, is on the right.

I've seen Thuja plicata in the woods like that a few times. And aspen.

Note the cultivar is 'Smaragd'. "Emerald" is a translation into English.

Nomenclature noted.
I always wondered about that.
Thanks bboy
Mike

To answer your question about people using it in gardens, it is quite popular in an old fashioned sort of way in shade gardens here in northern California. You may find it boring, but it has gorgeous coppery bronze new foliage that contrasts nicely with older foliage, and has graceful good looks year round in tough low light situations here. I use it for the glossy/plastic look of the foliage, which I find attractive as contrast to other winter foliage. In my mind, it combines well with subtropicals here, such as Vireya rhododendrons(a couple blooming now in my garden with bright orange and yellow flowers), and bromeliads...

I guess it isn't that common in the PNW, as no one noticed that it should be T. gymnanthera...

LOL David. It seems I can't get anything right. Typo mistrake.
You have made me reconsider it's uses though.
I'll take some cuttings and use it more in my garden, even though I can't grow Vireya rhododendrons.
I have plenty of shade though.
Mike

I was aware of the typo.

Rather than exaggerating the forum's death, let's say it is in a vegetative state.