Conifers

Special notes for the Conifer Section

Common Name:	These conifers are arranged in alphabetical order according to the common name. Although sometimes the common name is inaccurate, we felt that for the consumer this was the easiest format to use. We have also separated the upright forms from the low growing, spreading forms. If you can not find what you are looking for, you may want to try the other section.
Height and width:	The height and width given are approximate. Size can vary with different varieties and growing conditions. These are just guidelines. In our area most trees and conifers will reach approximately 2/3's of the height and width that is given. Although some will reach the height that is stated. It is best to ask a professional if you have questions.
Growth Rate:	For most of the trees and conifers, there is a growth rate stated. These can vary with the different growing conditions. The rates given are just to give an idea of which varieties might work best in the area needed. The rate is as follows: Slow: Less than 12" of new growth each year. Medium: 2-24" of new growth each year. Fast: Over 24" of new growth each year.
Hardiness:	All the conifers that we have selected to put in this book are hardy for Zone 5 or colder unless otherwise stated. If you have a protected area, you can plant the varieties that are marginal in our area. Be aware they may need some special care.
Special Care:	Some notations are made on special care required by certain conifers. Also included for some species is the resistance to certain known pests and diseases.
Special Forms:	Some varieties of conifers come in different forms. These forms have been noted at the end of the description and are in italics. Notations have also been made on those conifers that take shearing and shaping well.

While we try to carry all of the trees below our selection is subject to availability.

CONIFERS UPRIGHTS

ARBORVITAE  (Thuja)

BRANDON PYRAMIDAL  (Thuja occidentalis 'Brandon')

Narrow cone shaped. Medium growing. Bright green foliage. Withstands harsh conditions. Grows 12-15' high, 3-4' wide. Excellent screen or hedge.

EMERALD GREEN  (Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green')

Neat, narrow pyramidal form. Medium growth.  Emerald green foliage. Holds color through winter. Grows 15' high 3-4' wide. Excellent screen or hedge.

LITTLE GIANT   (Thuja occidantalis 'Little Giant')

Globe shaped. Slow grower.  Has rich green foliage. Grows 6' high and wide.

PYRAMIDAL   (Thuja occidentalis 'Pyramidallis')

Upright form. Medium growing. Deep green foliage. Very hardy. Can reach 25' tall. Excellent for tall hedges.

YELLOW RIBBON   (Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon')

Narrow habit.  Slow growing. Golden-yellow foliage retained throughout the year. Grows 8-10' high, 2-3' wide.

CEDAR  (Cedrus)

BLUE ATLAS CEDAR (Cedrus atlantica glauca)

Pyramidal form. Medium to slow growing. Silvery blue needles. Grows 30-40' tall, 20-25' wide.  Very  hardy.

FIR (Abies)

SUBALPINE FIR   (Abies lasiocarpa)

Narrow, spire-like crown. Slow growing. Has bluish-gray needles. Exhibits a thin, smooth gray bark when young and a fissured bark when older. Can grow to 50' high, 20' wide.  Would do best in protected area.

WHITE FIR (Abies concolor)

Popular Christmas tree. Large, very symmetrical tree. Spire like crown. Medium growth rate.  Long upturned bluish-green needles. Can grow to 30-60' tall, with a 20-25' spread. 

JUNIPER (Juniperus) 

GRAY GLEAM   (Juniperus scopulorum 'Gray Gleam')

Columnar form. Slow growing.  Silvery gray-blue foliage. Reaches 15' high, 5-7' wide.

GREEN ICE   (Juniperus scopulorum Green Ice 'Monwade')

Tight branching habit.  New tip growth is icy-green. Grows 15' high, 7-10' wide. 

HOLLYWOOD (Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa')

Handsome, rapidly growing specimen forms densely branched columnar form useful as a screen or windbreak.  Excellent sheared topiary.  Durable evergreen, tolerates heat, cold and drought.  Full sun.  Fast grower to 15' tall, 3-5' wide. 

MEDORA   (Juniperus scopulorum 'Medora')

Narrow columnar form. Slow growing. The dense branches hold bluish-green foliage that remains in bounds without pruning. Grows to 10' high, 2 ½' wide. Excellent vertical accent.

SKYROCKET (Juniperus virginiana 'Skyrocket')

Very narrow form. Medium to fast growth. Silver-blue gray foliage. Height 20', 2-3' wide.

SPARTAN   (Juniperus chinensis 'Spartan')

Pyramidal form.  Medium growth. Rich green needle like foliage. Grows to 15' high, 5' wide. Available in standard and spiral forms.

TOLLESON'S BLUE WEEPING  (Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Blue Weeping')

Tree-like form.  Silvery gray-blue foliage. Grows 20' high with gracefully arching branches reaching 10' wide.

WICHITA BLUE (Juniperus scopulorum 'Wichita Blue')

Handsome bright silver blue foliage on wide pyramidal form. Grows to 20'.  Very hardy.

LARCH   (Larix)

WESTERN    (Larix occidentalis)

Narrowly conical crown. Pointed blue-green to gray-green needles, each with 2 white bands beneath.  Red-brown to brown bark, becoming furrowed and fissured with age. Can grow to 60' high, 15' wide.

PINES (Pinus)

AUSTRIAN (Pinus nigra)

Dense stout pyramid with uniform crown. Medium fast growing. Long, dark green needles. Cones 2" to 3 1/2" oval, brown. Very hardy. Usually not above 50' tall.  Dwarf Variety available.

BORDER  (Pinus strobiformus)

Medium growth. Long, dark bluish-green foliage. Has many of the characteristics of the White Pine, but does better in drier, harsher climates.  Cones average 6-7" long. Grows 35-40' tall.

BOSNIAN   (Pinus leucodermis)

Densely branched, pyramidal form. Slow growing. Glossy dark green rigid needles. Young cones are purple-blue.  Can reach 40' tall, 10' wide.

BRISTLECONE (Pinus artista)

Very slow to grow.  Dense bushy heavy trunk with ground-sweeping branches.  In youth a symmetrical narrow-crowned tree with mature look. Dark green whitish beneath flecked with white dots of resin.  Cones 3 1/2", dark purplish brown.  Good for years in containers.  Height 30', width 20'. 

COLUMNAR SCOTCH   (Pinus sylvestris 'Fastigata')

Twisted 2" long blue-green needles densely arranged on the ascending branches.  Makes a dramatic statement in the landscape. Very narrow 3-4' wide, 20-30' tall.

COMPACT AUSTRIAN  (Pinus nigra 'Compacta')

Smaller stature is perfect for small spaces.  Lush green coloring is reliable in virtually every season for a high quality evergreen background. Dense foliage makes it great for small scale privacy screens or windbreaks.  High tolerance for dry conditions and alkaline soils.  Slower growth to 15' tall, 8-10' wide.

COMPACT TANYOSHO PINE (Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera Compacta')

A more dense habit to this very attractive evergreen.  Red brown bark and bright green needles.  Slow-growing to 12' high, 18' wide. Usually grafted up to make a unique, small evergreen tree.

DWARF SCOTCH (Pinus sylvestris 'Glauca Nana')

An attractive, blue-green pine that will eventually grow into a flattened globe form.  Requires candle pruning to maintain a round form.  Grows 6' high and wide. Zone 3.

EMERALD ARROW BOSNIAN (Pinus leucodermis 'Emerald Arrow')

A compact, spire form with rich dark green foliage on silver colored branches.  With its predictable narrow habit, low maintenance, salt tolerance and disease resistance this plant is sure to be a stately landscape specimen.   Grows10-15' tall, 6-10' wide. Zone 5.

FRENCH BLUE SCOTCH (Pinus sylvestris 'French Blue')

Uniform, compact growth. Medium to slow growth.  Bright blue foliage.  Color retained in  winter. Grows 25-30' high, 15-20' wide.

LODGEPOLE (Pinus contorta latifolia)

A tall slender straight tree. Best in stands and clumps. Can grow 30-60' tall, 10-20' wide.

PONDEROSA  (Pinus ponderosa)

Moderately fast growing. Branches arranged in spire-like crown with long needles in clusters at branch ends. Very hardy. Evergreen, 50-60' high, 30-40' wide.

VANDERWOLF  (Pinus flexilis 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid')

Pyramidal form Robust grower. Long, silvery blue-green needles. Densely branched, 20-25' high, 10-15' wide.

REDWOOD   (Metasequoia, Sequoiadendron)

DAWN REDWOOD (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)

Deciduous conifer. Has a narrow, conical shape. Fast growing. The foliage is a medium green.  Fall color is rusty orange.  Can reach a height of 60', with a 25' spread.

SPRUCE    (Picea)

BABY BLUE EYES (Picea pungens glauca 'Baby Blue Eyes')

Dwarf form of Colorado Blue.  Very compact, pyramidal shape.  Very slow grower, only 2-3" growth a year.  Grows 10-15' tall, 8-10' wide.

BAKERI (Picea pungens glauca 'Bakeri')

Dwarf form. Medium growth. Grafted form of Colorado Blue. Consistent blue color. Height 20' with spread of 15'.

BLACK HILLS  (Picea glauca 'Densata')

A symmetrical, cone-shape to this slow grower, Dense bright green needles, become blue-green when mature. reaching 20-25' high, 10-12' wide.

COLORADO (Picea pungens)

Stiff, horizontal branches form a broad pyramidal habit. Medium growth. Foliage is green. Hardy. Can grow to 60-70' tall, 20-25' wide.  Zone 2.

COLORADO BLUE (Picea pungens glauca)

Horizontal branches form a broad pyramidal habit.  Medium growth. Stiff , silvery blue-green needles. Hardy. Height is to 60-70' tall, 20-25' wide.  Zone 2.

COLUMNAR COLORADO (Picea pungens 'Fastigiata')

A densely formed columnar crown with great blue color make this tree a showpiece for the small landscape or to fill in a tight corner.  Grow 40' tall, 10' wide.  Zone 3.

COMPACT ORIENTAL (Picea orientalis 'Nigra Compacta')

Very adaptable.  Noted for its compact habit, dense branching and dark shining green needles.  Develops into a majestic broad upright tree with age.  It is wider than tall when young.  Grows 1-6' in 10-15 years.  Zone 4.

DWARF ALBERTA (Picea glauca 'Conica')

Compact pyramidal tree of slow growth. Short, fine needles that are soft to the touch.  Hardy. Some protection needed from wind and strong sunlight. Grows 7' tall, 3-4' wide.  Available in standard, Poodle, or Spiral forms.  Zone 4. 

FAT ALBERT (Picea pungens glauca 'Fat Albert')

Broadly pyramidal. Rich blue coloring to the needles. The branch tips are ascending. Slow growth, 15' high, 10' wide.  Zone 2. 

FOXTAIL (Picea pungens 'Iseli Foxtail')

Intriguing, tightly branched extremely narrow evergreen conifer.  Unique twisted blue needles form tufts at end of branches.  Great accent plant. Slow grower to 10-15' tall, 7-8' wide, perhaps larger with age.  Zone 2.

HOOP'S (Picea pungens 'Hoopsii')

Pyramidal form. Medium growing. New growth especially bright blue. Needs early training to encourage erect cone-shaped habit. Reaches 30-50' tall, 10-20' wide.  Zone 2. 

JEAN'S DILLY DWARF ALBERTA (Picea glauca conica 'Jean's Dilly')

Smaller, shorter needles than Dwarf Alberta Spruce. Slower growing. Spring growth is also 3-4 weeks later. Can reach 4' high and 2' wide.  Zone 4.

NORWAY SPRUCE (Picea abies 'Norway')

Pyramidal shape. Medium grower. Prefers sandy, moist soil. Dark green needles on dense branches.  Pendulous branchlets add a graceful appearance. Grows 40-60' tall, 25-30' wide. 

ORIENTAL  (Picea orientalis 'Atrovirens')

Pyramidal form. Dark green, shiny needles. Fully branched to the ground. Can reach 60' high, 20' wide, but is a slow grower.

SHERWOOD COMPACT NORWAY (Picea abies 'Sherwood Compact')

A narrowly pyramidal form with an ascending branching habit.  Light to mid-green needles and light brown shoots.  Grows 6-15' in 10-15 years. Zone 4.

SHILO WEEPING (Picea pungens 'Shilo-Weeping')

A weeping selection which has an upright leader with the side branches hanging down in a dense curtain of blue foliage.  This plant continues to develop its weeping character and beauty as it ages.  Grows more than 15' in 10-15 years.  Zone 2.

WEEPING COLORADO BLUE   (Picea pungens 'Pendula')

Weeping habit, presenting a cascading effect. Slow growth. Blue needles. The terminal growth requires staking when young. If allowed to spread it will form a ground cover.  Zone 2.

WEEPING NORWAY (Picea abies 'Pendula')

Grown on a stake to feature the spreading branches. Slow grower. Rich green needles. 3' high, can trail its branches 10' wide. Zone 3.

CONIFERS SPREADERS

CYPRESS   (Cupressus)

COMPACT BRONZE HINOKI (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Pygmaea Aurescens')

Mounding accent shrub. Flat fan shaped branchlets of yellow-bronze foliage in spring, green in summer, bronze in winter. Slow growing 2' high and 5' wide.

GOLD THREAD CYPRESS (Cupressus  sempervirens 'Gold Thread')

Slow growing rounded coniferous evergreen shrub. Likes acid soil. Height is 18-24" with a 2' or 3' spread.

TRUE DWARF HINOKI CYPRESS (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana')

One of the most diminutive forms of Hinoki cypress.  'Nana' is the perfect miniature conifer for rock gardens or small confined spaces.  Its dark green foliage is tightly congested, forming a tiny mound of year-round color.  Grows less than 1" per year. 

HEMLOCK (Tsuga)

COLES PROSTRATE (Tsuga Canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate')

Stiffly weeping main branches make a truly prostrate growing plant.  Useful to highlight contours of stone in the rock garden.  Prefers partial shade.  Zone 4.

FIR  (Abies)

DWARF BALSAM FIR (Abies balsamea 'Nana')

Globe shape. Dark green needles on horizontal spreading branches. Full to partial sun. Slow growing to less than 3' tall and wide.

JUNIPER (Juniperus)

BAR HARBOR (Juniperus horizontalis 'Bar Harbor')

Ground cover. Medium growing. Foliage is soft gray-green, turning silvery-plum in winter. Grows 1' high and 8-10' wide.

BLUE CHIP (Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip')

Great ground cover. Medium growth. Silvery blue color. Fine foliage. Grows 12" tall and 6-8' wide.

BLUE STAR (Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star')

Mounding form. Slow growing. Steel-blue needles that suggest twinkling stars. Grows 2' high and 3-4' wide. Easily contained.  Available in standard and patio tree forms.

BROADMOOR (Juniperus sabina 'Broadmoor')

Widely spreading. Bright green foliage. Mounding to 2', branching  6-8' wide.

BUFFALO (Juniperus sabina 'Buffalo')

Mounding form. Soft feathery bright green foliage. Good color all year-round. Grows 8-12" high and 8' wide.

CALGARY CARPET (Juniperus sabina 'Calgary Carpet')

Distinctive selection from the popular 'Arcadia' Juniper.  Attractive soft green foliage covers the low 6-9" high plant. Wide spreading, branching habit to 10'.

DWARF JAPANESE GARDEN (Juniperus procumbens 'Nana')

Dense, ground hugging mound. Bluish green foliage best when left unsheared. Full to partial sun. Moderate growth 6-12" high and 3-5' wide.

GOLD COAST (Juniperus chinensis Gold Coast 'Aurea')

Compact. Moderate grower.  Lacy foliage with a golden-yellow coloring that is retained and deepens in cold weather. Trimming unnecessary. Graceful branches reaching 3' high and 5' wide.

GREENMOUND (Juniperus procumbens 'Greenmound')

Attractive light green foliage that does not brown-out. A good spreader with a mounding growth habit in center of plant. Good for low plantings . Tolerant of many soils, and will thrive under adverse conditions.  Grows 8" high and 6' wide.

MINT JULEP  (Juniperus chinensis 'Monlep')

Compact, fountain-like form. Brilliant mint green foliage. Good performer in all climates. Moderate grower 4-6' high and 6-8' wide.

PRINCE OF WALES (Juniperus horizontalis 'Prince Of Wales')

Very dense, medium green foliage turns purplish in the fall. Grows 8" high and 8-10' wide.

SAN JOSE JUNIPER (Juniperus chinensis 'San Jose')

Semi prostrate form. Slow growing. Sage green needles. Interesting appearance. Many irregular branches. Grows  2' high and 6' wide. Excellent for Bonsai growing

SCANDIA (Juniperus sabina 'Scandia')

Spreading form. Soft, bright green foliage covers the dense growth.  Grows 1' high and 8' wide. 

SEA GREEN (Juniperus chinensis 'Sea Green')

Attractive, mint green foliage on graceful, arching branches.  Foliage color darkens in cold weather.  Likes full sun.  Grows 4-6' high and 4-6' wide.

TAMS (Juniperus sabina 'Tamariscifolia')

Mounding form. Spreads symmetrically. Dense blue green needles. Grows 3-6' high and 8-10' wide.

WILTONI OR BLUE RUG (Juniperus horizontalis 'Wiltoni')

Flattest juniper.  Intense silver blue.  Dense short branchlets on long trailing branches.  Rarely exposes limbs. Grows 4" high and 8-10' wide.

YOUNGSTOWN ANDORRA (Juniperus horizontalis 'Youngstown')

Prostrate growth habit. Bright green foliage. Tightly knit branches create a full centered look. Grows 12-18" high and 6' wide.

PINE  (Pinus)

DWARF MUGO  (Pinus mugo pumilo)

The dwarf type.  Symmetrical little pine may become spreading in age.  Needles are dark green, cone is about one inch.  Very hardy.  One of the most widely used pines because of the low growth habit. Slow growing to 4'.

DWARF SCOTCH  (Pinus sylvestris 'Nana')

Rounded form. Slow growing. Rich blue-green needles on dense horizontal branches. Can reach 6' high and 6' wide. Available in standard and patio tree forms.

TANYOSHO  (Pinus densiflora 'Umbraculifera')

Shrub-like form. Slow growing. Densely arranged bright green needles.  Attractive orange-brown bark in youth. Can grow 12' high and 20' wide. Flat-topped, umbrella-like head. Multi-trunked pine.

SLOWMOUND MUGO (Pinus mugo 'Slowmound')

A true dwarf mugo that actually possesses the characteristics that gardeners have always wished mugos had.  A dark-green, dense mound, compact enough to plant in even the most confined areas.  Grows 2-3' high and wide.  Zone 2.

VALLEY CUSHION MUGO (Pinus mugo 'Valley Cushion')

This dwarf selection of mugo pine is an excellent choice for a small mounding plant in cold areas of the country.  Growing slightly wider than tall, 'Valley Cushion' is a medium green all year round.  Grows 2' tall, 3' wide. Zone 2. 

SPRUCES (Picea) 

DWARF GLOBE BLUE SPRUCE (Picea pungens 'Globosa')

Flat topped, densely branched globe shaped shrub. Dense, bright blue needles hold color throughout the year. Can grow 3-5' high and 5-6' wide.  Available in standard and patio tree forms.  Zone 2. 

DWARF NORWAY (Picea abies 'Pumila')

Globe shaped shrub. Blue-green needles on dense branches. Slow growing, 4-5' high and 8-10' wide.  Zone 2.

DWARF SIBERIAN  (Picea omirik 'Nana')

Dense, globe form when young, developing into a broad pyramid. Needles are dark green above with white bands on the lower leaf surface, giving the plant a bicolor appearance. Grows 6-8' high, with an equal spread.  Zone 2. 

LITTLE GEM (Picea abies 'Little Gem')

Globe form.  Short stiff branchlets and tiny needles. Grows 1-2' high and wide.  Available in standard and patio tree forms.  Zone 2. 

NEST SPRUCE  (Picea abies 'Nidiformis')

Flattened globe shape. Dark green foliage. Eventually will grow to 3' high and 4-6' wide.  Zone 2. 

SHERWOOD COMPACT NORWAY (Picea abies 'Sherwood Compact')

A narrowly pyramidal form with an ascending branching habit.  Light to mid-green needles and light brown shoots.  Grows 3' tall, 7' wide.  Zone 4.

SPREADING NORWAY (Picea abies 'Repens')

Arching branches. Uniform appearance.  Layered tightly held bright-green needles. Mounding form 1 1/2' high and 5-6' wide.  Zone 3. 

YEW   (Taxus)

see "Shrubs" page