Conifers: What are you growing?

Hi all,
Here is the first of a couple of threads regarding conifers.

A simple question: What conifers are you growing and do you have a "favorite"?

Here is a list of the conifers that I have planted in the ground in my zone 4a garden. The firs and pines are my "favorite" conifers, that hold their needles through the winter, and I love the deciduous conifers. I would like to expand my collection of larix.

Abies concolor 'Conica' 9-03
Abies concolor 'Gables Weeping' 9-03
Abies koreana 'Silber Mavers' 9-03 (died in summer 2006 - too hot?)
Abies lasiocarpa 'Arizonica Compacta Glauca' 5-29-05
Abies lasiocarpa 'Green Globe' 5-29-05
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Aurea' 1998?
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Nana' 1998?
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Filifera Variegata' 2000?
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Long Island' (name not legitimate)
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Silver Lode'
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Tsukumo' 2003
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'White Pygmy'
Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Heatherbun'
Juniperus horizontalis 'Hughes' Prior to 1993
Juniperus horizontalis 'Mother Lode'
Juniperus scopulorum 'Holden'
Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Blue Weeping' 1996 or 1997
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'
Larix decidua 'Lanark #2 Seedling' (grafted on a standard) 2003
Larix kaempferi 'Blue Rabbit' 6-03
Larix kaempferi 'Diane' 1998
Larix kaempferi 'Jakobsen's Pyramid' 5-29-05
Larix kaempferi 'Pendula' 1998
Larix laricina 'Craftsbury Flats' 9-03
Metasequoia glyptostroboides 1999 or 2000?
Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon' aka 'Gold Rush' 5-29-05
Picea abies 'Schmidt's Weeping' (Dwarf weeping spruce)
Picea glauca 'Cecilia' (grafted on a standard) 9-02
Picea glauca 'Pendula'
Picea pungens 'St. Mary' (aka 'St. Mary's Broom') 9-02
Pinus banksiana 'Manomet' 2003
Pinus cembra 'Blue Mound'
Pinus cembra 'Compacta'
Pinus cembra 'Glauca Compacta'
Pinus densiflora 'Jane Kluis' (this may be a hybrid) 9-02
Pinus koraiensis 'Silveray'
Pinus mugo 'Big Tuna' 2003
Pinus mugo 'Jacobsen' 2003
Pinus mugo 'Mitsch Mini'
Pinus mugo 'Teeny' (Sherwood Compact) 9-02
Pinus mugo 'Winchester'
Pinus parviflora 'Ara Kawa' (Warted)
Pinus parviflora 'Eric' 9-03 (was purchased as a strobus, but the plant is definitely NOT a strobus cultivar)
Pinus parviflora 'Hagaromo'
Pinus parviflora 'Tanima No Uki'
Pinus ponderosa Broom seedling (Jerry Morris) 9-03
Pinus resinosa 'State Trooper' (was 'Edelweiss WB')
Pinus strobus 'Green Twist' 9-03
Pinus strobus 'Horsford' 1998?
Pinus strobus 'Sea Urchin' 9-03
Pinus strobus 'Weston Elf' 9-03
Thuja occidentalis 'Aurea'
Thuja occidentalis 'DeGroot's Spire'
Thuja occidentalis 'Dirigo Dwarf' 2003 (I believe that this is the same as T. o. 'Tiny Tim'; it sure looks like it, anyway)
Thuja occidentalis 'Filiformis'
Thuja occidentalis 'Goldflake' (Variegated sport of 'Smaragd') 2003
Thuja occidentalis 'Hetz Wintergreen' 7-02
Thuja occidentalis 'Malonyana Aurea' 2004
Thuja occidentalis 'Pendula'
Thuja occidentalis 'Pumila Sudworth'
Thuja occidentalis 'Tiny Tim'
Thuja occidentalis Unknown cultivar (large, round globe, possibly 'Woodwardii')
Thuja occidentalis 'Watnong' 9-02
Thuja plicata 'Whipcord'
Tsuga canadensis 'Betty Rose' 9-03
Tsuga canadensis 'Cole Prostrate'
Tsuga canadensis 'Jervis'
Tsuga canadensis 'Moon Frost' 5-29-05
Tsuga diversifolia 2001?

A few of these plants are "out-of-zone" and I have been surprised at how well the plants have done. My Tsuga diversifolia has never been protected and has never shown any winter damage - ever. This plant is growing in a VERY exposed spot in my yard.

I have protected the Pinus parviflora cultivars since I planted them, but I think that next year I will see how they do without any protection from the winter sun (this could be a big mistake, but we'll see?).
Mike



This message was edited Feb 22, 2006 9:21 PM

This message was edited Sep 18, 2006 11:50 AM

Hi Mike,

We have lots of pine species, maybe a dozen different Juniperus species, also a dozen or so different spruce, about 10 fir, and smatterings of other genera. Our capacity to irrigate is severely limited so we don't plant many things that need to be babied after the first or second year. Some of our pleasant surprises have included Pinus palustris (here nearly 20 years now) and a reportedly super hardy selection of P. taeda (after we lost several others in bad winters). Our disappointments include some Cedrus and Cupressus and Cunninghamia and some others that we really had no business trying to grow here anyway.

I like the deciduous conifers also, and have most of ours planted together where they get access to rich bottomland soil and where their fall colors can complement one another. We have a few Larix species plus Taxodium distichum, T. ascendens, Pseudolarix, and two Metasequoia that have very different growth forms and probably came from two separate introductions.

Guy S.

I'm growin' Araucaria araucana, Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca' & Cupressus macrocarpa 'Goldcrest'

Geeze you latin guys keep me out of most of the forums. I have 3 acres of Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosus. And Douglas firrus. I have selected to eliminate much of the DF because they are crowding out the Pon Pine. We had a tree clearing fire here in 1910 and the only survivors were Ponderosa. Now they are being replaced by more vigorous DF. The park like look to the valley is being replaced by the dark Douglas forests. And no more Pine are growing. So I have commited my land to the post 1910 look of the valley. I have added many native Junipers one of which was run over by the bulldozer grading my lot and the laterals are making a beautiful hedge of Juniper. I of course have lots of others one of my favorite is a Bristlecone Pine that is only 4' tall and expected to grow 3" a year.
I'll get home and get the real names of the over 30 confers I have placed.

Sofer, sorry about the Latin. Sometimes we all just get carried away but we don't mean to isolate anyone. The Latin names do help to avoid some confusion, but it works only if you speak the language . . .

I bet your ponderosa parklands look splendid with snow. We have some ponderosas here but they're all 30 years and under, and still have the black-barked "bull pine" look. I wish I could live long enough to see them mature. By the way, we also have a few of your Douglas firrus!!!

Guy S.

Sorry Soferdig. Ok, I'm growing Monkey Puzzle Tree, Blue China Fir, Goldcrest Monterey Cypress.

will try norway spruce 'acrocona' this year, with 2-2 norway spruce,balsam fir and
red pine, also a 'rock garden' with dwarf conifers

Mike, that's an impressive list! (Edited to add: Thank you for this thread - love Conifers!)

I can't access our list right now, but offhand a few of our favorites:

Abies fraseri 'Prostrata'
Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula'
Cedrus deodora
Chamaecyparis 'Boulevard'
Chamaecyparis 'Crispii'
Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Heatherbun'
Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Red Star'
Cryptomeria japonica 'Sekkan Sugi'
Cypressus arizonica 'Blue Ice'
Cypressus arizonica 'Golden Pyramid'
Juniperus conferta 'Blue Mist'
Juniperus communis 'Gold Cone'
Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket' and 'Moonglow'
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon'
Pinus densiflora 'Oculus-Draconis' - Dragon Eye Pine
Pinus strobus 'Pendula'
Sciadopitys verticillata - Japanese Umbrella Pine

Although alot of these are planted in our gardens surrounding the house, we've started a small 'arboretum' to highlight some of our favorites. Cryptomeria 'Sekkan Sugi' and Juniperus 'Gold Cone' are the real beauties in that bed. We're recently purchased Taxodium distichum 'Pendula' and looking forward to adding this to the landscape.

Here's a photo - one of our Abies "swallowing" its neighbor!


Debbie

This message was edited Feb 23, 2006 6:10 AM

I don't know varieties of some of these because I bought them before I started tracking.

Abies concolor
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard'
Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera 'Creamball'
Chamaecyparis pisifera filifera 'Mops'
Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Plumosa Compressa'
Cryptomeria japonica "Yoshino'
Cryptomeria japonica 'Spiralis'
Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis 'Black Dragon'
Juniperus communis 'Kordus Golden'
Juniperus horizontalis 'Gold Carpet'
Juniperus conferta 'Silver Mist'
Juniperus horizontalis 'Monber'
Juniperus scopulorum 'Moonglow'
Juniperus scopulorum 'Sparkling Skyrocket'
Juniperus squamata 'Blue Star'
Juniperus squamata 'Holger'
Juniperus virginiana
Microbiota decussata
Picea abies 'Pumila'
Picea omorika
Pinus thunbergii 'Thunderhead'
Pinus densiflora 'Oculis-draconis'
Taxus baccata 'Repandens'
Thujopsis dolobrata 'Nana'
Cryptomeria japonica 'Ikari'

The graceful, delicate varieties are my favorites, particularly Microbiota decussata. I'd wanted it for years and finally just stumbled across it at Lowe's - a place I least expected to find it. It fills the corners where I have 3 of them and looks lovely but different, year-round.

What's the feature(s) of the deciduous conifers that draw you to them? I haven't paid much attention to them; but I could be coaxed. :)




This message was edited Feb 23, 2006 8:10 AM

One of my Microbiota decussatae

Mickgene,

Nice looking microbiotta. Why is it in prison? LOL. I think I know.

Cryptomeria japonica "Sekkin Sugi", this is the first year I've had tip burn.

Actually, before I try to compile a list, I think I'll get out the camera and go take some shots to include. Some of these plants are at their peak right now in terms of color, and this will also help me to remember what all I've got.

I might call on the experts here to help me identify a few things I've forgotten the names of or things I never knew the names of.

Somebody listed Pinus banksiana "Manomet." I don't have that one, but I really like that plant.

Scott

I feel so deprived! I only have 5 Thuja occidentalis ‘Snow Tip’ and 3 Thuja occidentalis. I think I might have planted 3 Pinus strobus but I forgot where??? I've actually been interested in adding a few Larix laricina, Pinus banksiana, or maybe P. rigida but I never got that far. One of these years!

Until you get around to planting some more conifers, maybe you could put in a quick-growing, attractive tree, like Albizia . . .

(signed: Anonymous Sender hijacking someone else's screen name)

Here's one I've got for you to have a guessing game at . . .

I've got it, I've got it! It's a Pinus species!!! (:o)
Mike

Hi Mike - you get 0.87% for that answer ;-)

How many needles are in a cluster on your little pretty? In some areas of the photo it looks as if there are only 2 per cluster and in other areas it looks as if the clusters have 3.

Notice it's growing in a pot so it obviously has to be brought inside to survive those brutal Northumberland winters. My guess is it is from one of those obscure colonies that did not declare independence.

I'm gonna guess, based on the blue-green needles it's either a P. wallichiana (Himalayan White Pine) or P. canariensis (Canary Island Pine). I think it looks closer to the first than the second.

P. wallichiana has fascicles of 5 and this plant sort of looks as if it only had two or three. Maybe P. canariensis because that has fascicles of 3. What do I know, I'm basically blind.

Here's a close-up

Is it Carpinus cordata?

Scott

Yes, the close-up did it, without a doubt, it's definitely a (car)Pinus species!!!

OK, now back to our regularly scheduled program...
Mike

Now, now, no Carping! ;-)

Yes, I see much more clearly now, it's most certainly Pinus spp.

Let's play 20 questions with Resin to get to the root of his little pretty!

I'll start.

Please describe the pine cones to this plant.

Old World or New World?

Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllo Resin!

Come out come out where ever you are! Time to play!

Remember that it is 6 or 7 hours later in the UK than it is in the Central time zone, here in the USA.

It's 4:35 CST here and that means that it's 10:35 UK time, at least (it could be later than that, there).
Mike

"Please describe the pine cones to this plant" - there aren't any on it, it's too young yet!

"Old World or New World?" - Yes. One of them.

:o)

PS there's enough visible there to identify this pine without any more clues . . . ;-)

I'll hand out some indicators to look at in 10-20 mins

OK here's some pointers - all visible in the photos (it's a matter of knowing what to look for!). The following are some of the significant features useful for identification

1. As already observed, needles in 3s.

2. Note the long retention of juvenile foliage.

3. Note that the needle sheaths are deciduous (top right, 2nd photo)

More later if need be . . . (tho' that should be enough!!)

Resin

Not to show off or anything...but that's a Pinus Charlie Brown

Pinus serotina, or perhaps those bungeana types, or maybe not

Pinus palustris?

Pinus palustris? Needles shed on that one after the second year, I think.

Nope, nope - P. serotina and P. palustris have persistent needle sheath and only short retention of juvenile foliage

Clue, terryr style, Pino Carlos Marrón might be more appropriate . . .

You brut you! I hardly knew the difference between pine, spruce, larch, and fir a year or so ago. This is killing me and making me work.

Let's see if anyone else can work it out on these clues in the next few hours, I'm signing off for the night (gone 1 a.m. here now!)

Resin

Pinus pinceana?

I found this which looked quite informative-
http://www.lovett-pinetum.org/Classification_genus-Pinus.htm

The juvenile foliage clue makes me think of Pinus pinaster, but the adult foliage doesn't seem rigid enough. Unless it's really cold hardy stuff, I'm really bad at this.

Pinus hispanica.
Pinus sylvestris and nigra are in Spain, eh?