CONIFERS P-Z

PICEA - Spruce

abies - Norway Spruce Zones 3-8 Sun to part shade

Large dense evergreen tree.  Grows into the perfect dense cone associated with Christmas trees.  6-10’ in ten years.  Recommended by: USNA.

‘Frohburg’ -

‘Nidiformis’ - Birdsnest Spruce - A wide spreading vigorous grower that often develops a central depression.  Once difficult to locate, this has become a popular dwarf.  Slow growing to 2’x3’ in ten years.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: GCA, USNA.

forma ‘Pendula’ - Branches are heavily pendulous, so growth habit depends on training.  Grows 6-8’ in ten years.  Striking, deserves a prominent location.

‘Repans’ - Layered branches on a low wide spreading bush.  Layers build up in the center with age.  3-4’ spread in ten years

glauca Zones 2-7 Sun to part shade

var.  albertiana - Alberta Spruce Awards: Award of Merit from the RHS.

‘Conica’ - Dwarf Alberta Spruce - Tight growing blue cone that maintains its formal appearence without pruning.  5-6’ in ten years.  Awards: Award of Merit & Award of Garden Merit from the RHS. 

orientalis - Oriental Spruce Zones 4-7 Sun to part shade

‘Aurea’ - (syn.  Aurea Spicata) - Awards: First Class Certificate & Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.

‘Aurea Compacta’ - New shoot growth is golden yellow, inner growth is green.   These plants grow very slowly into a compact narrow cone 5-6’ tall in ten years.  Introduced by the Jeddoloh Nursery of Germany.

pungens - Blue Spruce Zones 4-7 Sun to part shade

‘Fat Albert’ - Recommended by: USNA. 

‘Foxtail’ - This spruce has very distinct tufted new growth on a very narrow tree.  This irregular column is one of the best for use in the Southeast.  Grows 6-8’ tall in ten years.  Another outstanding selection from Islei Nursery.

‘Glauca Globosa’ - This very beautiful blue spruce grows into a dwarf flattened globe and makes an ideal garden accent.  Spreads 2-3’ in ten years.  Exceptional blue color.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.

‘Glauca Pendula’ - This plant has a strict weeping habit, and can be staked for upright growth or left on its own to crawl across the ground.  Grows 3-5’ in ten years.  Good blue color holds all year.  Awards: First Class Certificate from the RHS. 

‘Glauca Procumbens’- This is a low ground hugging spreader with excellent blue color.  Spreads 2-3’ in ten years Can be used to droop over a wall or crawl down a slope.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.

‘Hoopsi’ - The bluest spruce.  Slow growing and irregular as a juvenile, it eventually grows into a dense cone 6-8’ tall in ten years.  Originated in Germany.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: USNA.

‘Iseli Fastigiate’- This recent introduction comes from the world famous Islei Nursery in Oregon.  Narrow columnar habit makes this an outstanding sentinel for your garden.  Grows 6-8’ tall in ten years. 

‘Montgomery’- This bright blue spruce is slow growing and compact making it perfect for smaller low maintenance gardens.  Small and somewhat globular in early years, eventually growing to a wide spreading cone.  Grows about 2-3’ in ten years.  Named by Col.  R.  H.  Montgomery of Coscob, Ct.  Recommended by: GCA, USNA.

‘Mrs.  Cessarini’ -

‘Royal Knight’ - This blue spruce was a chance seedling originally raised in Canada in the 1950’s, but it was not introduced into the trade until the 1980’s.  It as an easily grown variety with dark blue color.  Best of all it grows into a straight and very full plant with no staking or pruning.  6-8’ in ten years.

‘Thompsen’ – Intense silver-blue needle color makes this one of the best blue spruces for garden use.  The color is similar to ‘Hoopsii’ but the needles are twice as thick and Thompsen makes a fuller and faster growing plant.   6-8’ tall in ten years.  Discovered in a private garden in Lancaster, PA in the 1920’s.

PINUS - Pine

bungeana - Lacebark Pine - Zones 4-8 Sun

A very slow growing pine whose bark flakes off in patches on old trees.   One of the best trees in cultivation for ornamental bark.  Rare and hard to find.  Only grows 4-5’ in ten years.  Trees for posterity.   Recommended by: OPSC, USNA.

densiflora - Japanese Red Pine Zones 3-8 Sun

‘Aurea’ -

‘Oculus-draconis’ - Dragon Eye Pine - Two yellow rings appear on each needle giving this pine an appeal unlike any other.  Slow growing to 4-5’ in ten years. 

‘Pendula’ - Depending on training, this plant will crawl on the ground, or if staked as a youth will grow into a narrow weeping tree.  An exceptional plant in any setting.  4-5’+ in ten years.

‘Umbraculifera’ - Tanyosho Pine - Umbrella like growth on a small growing tree.  Peeling bark.  Ideal for oriental gardens.  Can grow to 5-8’ in ten years.  May reach 10’+ over time but frequently pruned smaller.   -Natural  -Table Top standard

flexis - Limber Pine - Zones 4-8 Sun

‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’ - Long twisted needles give this rapid growing pine an excellent blue-green color.  4-5’ tall in ten years.  Recommended by: OPSC.

mugo Zones 3-8 Sun

var.  pumillio - Geographical variant that usually produces smaller more compact plants.  3’x3’ in ten years. 

parviflora - Japanese White Pine Zones 4-7 Sun

‘Adcock’s Dwarf’ - This beautiful small growing Japanese White Pine was discovered in the 1960’s at Hilliers Nursery in England, and was named after their plant propagator Graham Adcock.  It grows as a bun shaped plant with short, tightly congested and twisted needles that are blue-gray-green in color.  Over time it becomes somewhat more pyramidal and develops some height.  It is a very dwarf growing form, but might reach 3 to 4’ foot tall and wide after 25 years or more.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.

‘Fukusumi’ - Fukusumi is a semi-dwarf form of Japanese White Pine with a prostrate spreading habit, but also with upright growing branches.  It is very slow growing, but with time develops into an irregular low mound of outward growing branches.  This is a Japanese selection that is perfect for the small garden, and popular for use in bonsai.

‘Gimborn’s Ideal’ - An open narrow growth habit and blue-green needles make this a very useful pine for gardens, pots, or bonsai.  6-8’ in ten years.

‘Glauca’ - Silver-blue needles and picturesque growth habit.  Slow, elegent addition to any garden.  6-8’ in ten years. 

‘Ogon Janome’ -

strobus - Eastern White Pine - Zones 3-8 Sun

Widely grown pine with good blue-green color and large pyramidal habit.   Grows 50 to 80 foot tall or more.  10-15’ in ten years.  Recommended by: USNA.

‘Blue Shag’ - This recent introduction is an excellent choice for use in a rock garden or anywhere else you need a strong dash of blue color.  The soft needles are a bright blue-green, and the plant grows very quickly into a dense semi-dwarf globe.  The needles and branches are very compact but it makes suprisingly fast growth into a small mound 2-3’ in ten years, and that might reach 4 to 5 foot tall and wide after 25 years.

‘Contorta’ - Twisted blue needles give this pine a distinct appearence.   Makes a unique accent.  6-8’ tall in ten years. 

‘Fastigata’ - A splendid addition to the list of columnar evergreen trees, this narrow column will average a 4 to 1 height to width ratio.  10-12’ in ten years.  Recommended by: OPSC, USNA.

‘Nana’ - Customer favorite.  A dwarf blue bun.  Soft needles invite people to touch.  Prune candles to maintain any desired height.  2’x2’ in ten years.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: OPSC.  

‘Pendula’ - Very popular.  Grows full sized like the species only slower.  Stake in youth to develop a central leader.  Long drooping branches can weep to the ground, and makes for a very interesting landscape accent.  8-10’ in ten years.  Recommended by: USNA.

sylvestris - Scotch Pine Zones 3-8 Sun

‘Fastigiata’ - A fast growing very narrow tree with good blue needles.   Grows small, reaching only 6-8’ in ten years, so it is easily contained in the landscape.

‘French Blue’ - A seedling strain that yields consistant good blue color and exhibits tolerence to a wide variety of growing conditions.  8-10’ in ten years; 30 to 50’ tall in old age.

‘Glauca Nana’ - Dark blue needles on a dwarf globe.  Like a blue mugo pine.  A very useful plant that is tough and easy to grow.  2½’ x2½’ in ten years. 

taeda - Loblolly Pine - Zones 6-9 Sun

This fast growing native tree is good for quick evergreen screening.   Large and impressive given time and space.   Grows 10-15’ in ten years.  A timber pine in the South. 

thunbergii - Japanese Black Pine - Zones 5-8 Sun

Widely grown oriental pine with fine character.  A tall evergreen, or with pruning can be stunted for striking effects.  4-5’ in ten years.  Recommended by: USNA.  

‘Banshoho’ -

‘Oculus Draconis’ -

virginiana - Virginia Pine - Zones 4-8 Sun

Tough reliable pine for difficult sites.  Ideal for large screens, this pine is much more ornamental than it’s other common name- ‘Scrub Pine’.  5-10’ in ten years. 

PSEUDOLARIX - Golden Larch Zones 4-8 Sun

amabilis – Dazzling in October when the needles take on a beautiful golden color.  A rare deciduous conifer that deserves much wider use, especially in the South where it seems to thrive.   An exceptional plant sure to be a source of pride in your garden.  Grows fairly large given enough time, but slow growth makes it easy to use in smaller gardens.  8’ tall in ten years.  Awards: Award of Merit & Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: OPSC, USNA. 

SCIADOPYTIS - Umbrella Pine Zones 5-8 Sun to light shade

verticillata - This rare slow growing conifer will add a touch of class to your garden.  Leaves appear in whorls at the end of twigs -like the ribs of an umbrella.  Unusual plant, sure to draw the question "What is it?" Slow growing and difficult to propagate.   It grows 3-5’ in ten years.  Awards: Award of Merit and Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.   Recommended by: USNA. 

TAXODIUM - Cypress Zones 4-10 Sun

distichum - Bald Cypress - One of the few deciduous conifers.  A southern native growing to a large pyramid.  Neat, clean, and easy to grow.  Grows 10-15’ tall in ten years.  Awards: Award of Merit & Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: OPSC.

TAXUS - Yew

x media Zones 4-8 Sun

‘Bean Pole’– Bean Pole grows into a very narrow column and bares lots of red berries.  It is slow growing and dwarf making it ideal for use in rock gardens and small formal areas.  3-4’ tall in ten years.  Recommended by: GCA.

‘Dark Green Spreader’ - Dark Green spreader is an excellent evergreen with a spreading compact habit, and forest-green foliage that does not burn in winter.  4-5’ wide in ten years.

‘Densiformis’ - A dense shrub twice as wide as high, this cultivar is fast growing but remains compact.  New growth is an excellent bright green.  4-5’ spread in ten years.  Recommended by: USNA.

‘Flushing’– Flushing is an old standard developed in America over 40 years ago.  It grows narrowly upright to 4-5’ tall in ten years, with very dark green lustrous foliage and red seeds.

‘Hicksii’– Hicks is one of the most popular upright columnar yews.   Hicks generally grows 2 to 3 times taller than wide reaching 8-10’ in ten years.  It may gain width with old age.  Needles are dark green on the top side, lighter green beneath.  Excellent tall hedge.  Recommended by: USNA.

THUJA - Arborvitae

occidentalis - Eastern Arborvitae Zones 3-8 Sun to part shade

‘Brabant’ - This is a new strong growing arborvitae from Europe.   It tends to develop a central leader, so it resists splitting in heavy snow loads.  Good green color and the most shade tolerant of all arborvitaes.  8’ in ten years; 12-15’ tall in maturity.

‘Brandon’ - New from Canada.  This is a select ornamental -a narrow, dense, fast growing cone; ideal for hedging and difficult cold conditions.  Grows to 8’ in ten years.  10-15’ tall over time.

‘Danica’ - Flattened sprays of good green foliage are held erect on this dwarf compact globe.  Smallest of all globe shaped arborvitaes, only 18"x18" in ten years.  One of several new exceptional introductions from Holland.

‘Degroots Spire’ - The word is out -Degroots Spire may well be the best narrow freestanding column you can plant in your landscape.  Premium new introduction from Iseli Nursery in Oregon, this arborvitae grows into an elegant very narrow column reaching 6’ to 10’ in 10 years.

‘Emerald" - (syn.  ‘Smaragd') - This Dutch selection is the standard by which others are measured.  Excellent dark green foliage on this narrow conical shrub.  8’ in ten years.  Eventually 10-15’ tall by 3-4’ wide.  Recommended by: OPSC, USNA.   in landscape  in nursery

‘Filiformis’ - Very unusual golden rope-like leaves droop to the ground.   Forms a slow growing haystack like mound about 3-4’ in ten years.  So unusual in form and foliage that the average gardener will not be able to guess what it is.  A true curiosity, and a valuable landscape element. 

‘Golden Globe’ -

‘Holmstrup’ - An excellent narrow tight growing pillar to medium size.   Grows very slowly to about 5-6’ in ten years.  10’ tall ain maturity.  A superlative older Dutch selection.  Recommended by: OPSC.

‘Little Champion’ - Little Champion lives up to its name.  This marvelous arborvitae has dark green foliage and grows into a broad globe shape, eventually reaching about 3’x3’ in ten years.  Early growth is fairly strong but it slows considerably after the first few years.  It is a slow growing dwarf form, and bears an abundance of cones at an early age.  Best of all for our northern neighbors, it bears a snow load better than many arborvitae.  Discovered as a chance seedling in Canada in 1935 it was not introduced into commerce until 1955, but its overall good merits have only been widely recognized in modern times.

‘Pendula’ - Typical leaf on a narrow column of strongly weeping branches.  Discovered in England before 1862, this is an old cultivar, being rediscovered.  Outstanding specimen or accent plant.  Needs staking as a juvenile to develop a central leader.  Will grow 6-8’ in ten years.  Recommended by: OPSC.

‘Rheingold’ - Very dwarf globe shaped shrub with soft needles that maintain gold to burnt-orange coloring throughout the year.  3’x3’ in ten years.  Awards: Award of Merit & Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: USNA. 

‘Sherwood Frost’ - Sherwood Frost is a semi-dwarf arborvitae growing slowly into a tight cone shape.  Its most remarkable feature is its variegated foliage -creamy white layers mixed evenly through the green.   5-6’ tall in ten years.  Small size and unique color make this the ideal compliment to other conifers.

‘Smaragd’ see ‘Emerald’

‘Sudsworthii’ - An upright tight growing pyramid with a yellow tint to the outside edges throughout the year.  This is a good strong grower that takes full sun and does not burn.  Grows 6-8' in ten years. 

‘Sunkist’ - This semi-dwarf grows into a broad pyramid with excellent clear yellow foliage.  A slow grower, reaching only 3-4’ in ten years, 5’ to 8’ in old age. 

‘Wansdyke Silver’ - This dwarf cone is splashed in white variegation.  The variegation is very constant throughout the year.  The plant itself is very slow growing and manageable, making it ideal for the small garden.

‘Yellow Ribbon’ - This cultivar grows tall and very narrow, and has excellent golden-yellow color all year.  This is another of several fine Dutch selections recently introduced to the U.S.  Grows 6-7’ in ten years.  Matures around 10’ tall by 3’ wide. 

orientalis - Oriental Arborvitae Zones 5-11 Sun to part shade

‘Aurea Nana' - Berkman's Golden Arborvitae

‘Minima Glauca’ (syn.  ‘Minima’) Minima Glauca is a attractive dwarf globe colored sea-green in the spring and turning a warm golden brown in the winter.  The semi-juvenile foliage is closely set making a tight compact ball.  2-3’ in ten years.

plicata - Western Arborvitae Zones 4-8 Sun to part shade

‘Collyers Gold’ - This plant has two very desirable traits.  It is a slow grower, with an upright columnar habit, and the foliage has a light golden yellow color and is very showy in the garden.  Definitely a plant with a future.  6’ tall in ten years.

‘Excelsa’ - This is a fast growing pyramid with excellent green color.   Grows 10’ in ten years -15-20’ or larger over time, so it is ideal for use as a wind break or large hedge, or trimmed to desired size.  Excelsa is an improved western red cedar.  Deer resistant.

‘Fastigata’ - This is a very narrow columnar form with the branches ascending narrowly.  It has profuse short branches, and makes an excellent exclamation point in the landscape.  It is a semi-dwarf growing 6-8’ in ten years, but it could make a medium to large shrub in time.

‘Stoneham Gold’ - Recommended by: USNA.

‘Green Giant’ - Green Giant is now considered a hybrid cross between Thuja plicta and Thuja standishii.  The plant grows quickly into a broad pyramid 10’ tall in ten years.  It may reach 30 to 40 feet or more in old age.  It has excellent lustrous green color and takes well to shearing.  Dirr says that this is the same clone sold as ‘Spring Grove’.  This was a chance seedling found in Denmark in 1935, but only now finding it’s way into commerce.  Awards: Gold Medal from PHS.

‘Sunshine’ - Sunshine has more yellow in its color than other selections and it tends to hold that color better than most, even in full sun and in areas with hot summers.  It is a semi-dwarf that grows into a wide cone shape.  The new growth is gracefully pendulous.  10’ in ten years.

‘Zebrina’ - A large fast grower with yellow variegation on new leaf growth.  Perfect for hedge or specimen.  Grows10’ in ten years.  Matures at 20’ tall or more.  Awards: First Class Certificate & Award of Garden Merit from the RHS

TSUGA - Hemlock

canadensis - Canadian Hemlock Zones 3-8 Sun to shade

Among the most useful of coniferous evergreens.  Graceful large growing tree, or can be easily pruned as a hedge.   8-10’ in ten years.  Recommended by: USNA.

‘Bennett' - Bennet is one of the best low spreading hemlocks.  It grows much broader than tall with arching branches and pendulous tips.  Twigs are borne in fan-like flattened sprays.  Original plant was found in 1920 in a batch supposedly ‘Japanese Hemlock’ seedlings.  A slow growing dwarf hemlock that has proven its worth.   1½’ x 3’ in ten years.  Recommended by: GCA.

‘Cole’s Prostrate’ - This hemlock will lay flat on the ground like a spreading juniper.  The newest growth droops to expose the branching habit.  It is slow growing and is ideal for creeping across the top of a wall.  An unusual, elegant plant that needs some shade.  2-3’ spd.  in ten years.

‘Everitts Golden’- Everitts Golden was discovered on an exposed slope near Eaton, NH.  It has extremely bright golden needles early in the year with color becoming more of an old gold late in the year.  Some direct sun during the day is needed for the best colors.  The plant grows into a stiff pyrimad but is very slow growing to 4’ in ten years.

‘Fantana’ - This is a dwarf hemlock that grows in a fountain like fashion.  The branches are spreading and pendulous, and the plant is usually broader than it is tall.  The original plant was found in 1913 in France.  Size and shape make this a useful addition to modern gardens.   3-4’ in ten years.

‘Gentsch White’ - This plant has become very popular as it has become better known.  An outstanding selection with white tips and a very dwarf growth habit.  2-3’ in ten years.

‘Golden Splendor’ - Fast grower with a golden color to new growth.  Habit is typical for the species with graceful branches.  Able to withstand sun better than most gold colored hemlocks.   8-10’ in ten years.

‘Hussi’- Hussi is a small and slow growing but eventually will make a medium sized bush.  It has an irregular upright habit although usually with no central leader.  Very distinctive in the garden with a very twiggy habit and large distinct buds.   A rock garden gem or minature specimen anywhere it is planted.  2-3’ in ten years.

‘Jeddeloh’ - A graceful low spreader that usually grows from a central depression.  Recommended by: GCA.

‘New Gold’ -

‘Pendula’ – Unrivaled specimen plant.  Grows as wide or wider than tall with graceful weeping branches.  Fairly slow to develop its potential size, it is more of a medium to large sized shrub of 5-8’ for many years.  Eventually in 25-50 years it is capable of spreading 15 to 20’ or more.  Deserves a prominent location.  Highly prized.  Awards: Award of Garden Merit from the RHS.  Recommended by: USNA.

‘West Coast Creeper’- As its name suggests, West Coast Creeper will crawl across the ground, but with a little more height than ‘Cole’s Prostrate’ hemlock and is faster growing.  Outstanding in the rock garden or creeping over a wall.  Rather recently developed and not well known, this is sure to be much in demand for its distinguished character.  3’ spd.  in ten years.

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