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Conifers for Shade

12 years ago

For all of you interested in the shade tolerance of various conifers, check out the sample of the latest (Spring 2014) Conifer Quarterly, posted on the ACS website. Longtime ACS members Jerry and Karen Kral show photos of the same cultivars planted in both sunny and shady locations in their Rochester, NY garden. Their garden will be featured on the ACS NE Region meeting this year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Conifers in shade and sun

This post was edited by ACS_WebEditor on Fri, May 2, 14 at 11:11

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UpperBayGardener (zone 7)
12 years ago
Thanks for the sample article.
Interesting that this garden is in Rochester and the subject involves shade conifers. I drove to Holmes Hollow Nursery a few years ago to buy a Fagus 'Rotundifolia' and noticed a fir in pretty heavy shade. It was an Abies ernestii; later I read that this variety is known to tolerate shade. I bought one for a site that is currently shaded by an ash that will have to go in a few years when the borers come. And indeed that Abies is growing very well.

FWIW the Fagus has grown about 5 inches a year since then, tops! But it is healthy.
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