Picking out conifers

11 years ago

Hi all,

We just bought a new house and I am looking to start a conifer garden.
After doing some research, it seems there are a lot of choices!
With a budget of $400, what would you recommend? I really like some of the smaller blue spruce looking trees, something bright yellow, something weeping, and anything that has an interesting shape/unique cones. Ideas/thoughts?

I have hundreds of fruit trees going in this spring so I am very conscious of cedar apple rust. I believe the worst ones are eastern and western cedars and some junipers.

I want something that is very hardy in my zone 5b.

Thanks for your help,
-Jeremiah

Featured Answer

whaas_5a

11 years ago

Without getting too much into cultural requirements/sizes/goals and just focusing on hardy quintessential conifers for someone starting out I've provided links of plants that have unique interest and are proven performers.

Some of these are on sale now but otherwise Western Evergreen is another top tier choice.

Dwarf globe with year around yellow
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Peve_Tijn_Serbian_Spruce_p/picea_omorika_peve_tijn.htm

Dwarf blue globe with crazy magenta cones
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/product_p/picea_pungens_ruby_teardrops_d.htm

The classic that no garden should be without
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Weeping_White_Spruce_p/picea_glauca_pendula.htm

A weeping year round yellow that you can train however you want. Possibly the greatest intro ever.
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Gold_Drift_Norway_Spruce_p/picea_abies_gold_drift.htm

Very cool silver like needles and purple cones
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Silberlocke_Korean_Fir_p/abies_koreana_horstmanns.htm

A sculpted dwarf blue cone
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Donna_s_Rainbow_Colorado_Spruce_p/picea_pungens_donnas_rainbow.htm

Not as vibrant but an easy to grow Chief Joseph alternative with winter yellow
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Gold_Coin_Scots_Pine_p/pinus_sylvestris_gold_coin.htm

A dwarf winter gold globe. Carstens is just as nice.
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/product_p/pinus_mugo_ophir.htm

One of the few variegated Japanese white pines I grow with success.
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Fukai_Japanese_White_Pine_p/pinus_parviflora_fukai.htm

The upswept shoots showcase the needles silvery topsides
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Bruns_Serbian_Spruce_p/picea_omorika_bruns.htm

So soft and pillowy with great cones
http://www.coniferkingdom.com/Wiethorst_Hybrid_Pine_p/pinus_schwerinii_wiethorst.htm

If you need to add some green there quite a few Picea abies, Bosnian Pine, Swiss Stone Pine and Eastern White Pine dwarfs. Those are some of my favorite easy to grow, hardy species.

One word of advice if you really get into conifers or gardening for that matter...balance your colors, shapes and seasonal interest, repat as necessary. For example a Picea pungens Spring Blast planted with Picea abies Gold Drift, Pinus mugo Carstens and a dwarf purple leaf barberry or spilled wine weigela. Look em up and you'll see what I mean regarding color, shape and seasonal interest.

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
pix dude!

ken
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edlincoln
11 years ago
How much space do you have? How close would it be to the house? Is there a lot of wind? Do you have problems with pine bark beetles or wooly adelgid? What is the soil like? Sandy, swampy, clay? Is road salt or salt spray an issue?

Look at what grows well in your neighborhood, and visit a local arboretum
If you just ask people what kind of trees they like, you are in danger of getting trees that won't survive on your site without a lot of life support.

I've always liked Pinus strobus "Pendula".

Eastern white pine is one of my favorite pines and thrives in Maine, but can drop limbs and be too big for many yards. Blue spruce is gorgeous where it grows well but can look ratty in areas with too much humidity or wooly adelgid. I don't think it often looks good in New Hampshire, not sure about Maine. Lots of folks keep recommending Austrian pine but there are large parts of the country where it will NOT survive.

I've heard people recommend Blue Atlas Cedar and Concolor Fir for the blue color.

Dawn Redwood and Baldy Cypress have unique looks but may not handle

This post was edited by edlincoln on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 11:56
firefightergardener
11 years ago
Will nailed it. :)

-the other Will
wannabegardnr
11 years ago
Nice post Whaas. I am glad I have many on that list. Most were new transplants so I am hoping they all make it through the winter.
goudreau
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions!

There is 5.5 acres, mainly clay soils, and the site is open, facing south with lots of sunlight with a few small native pitch pines near the water. I plan on hunting for more of these guys in nearby forests and transplanting them to my site.

Conifer Kingdom looks to have some really cool stuff and gonna be ordering from them. I am looking for small groupings and specimen plants for the landscape.

Blue spruces dont look the best around here..

Here is a list of what Im thinking of getting:
Picea engelmanii 'Bush's Lace'
Picea abies 'Gold Drift'
Picea pungens 'Ruby Teardrops'
'Chief Joseph'
Abies concolor 'Blue Cloak'