Ornamental Conifers
Discovered as mutations on their parent plants, these freaks of nature have been cultivated because of their unusual characteristics. Years of collecting and preserving these abnormalities have yielded a vast range of ornamental cultivars with odd color variants, unusual foliage, slower growth rates or weeping habits. This current availability list is arranged by common name with Latin nomenclature for the connoisseur.
FIR - Abies
CEDAR - Cedrus
Abies koreana “Horstmann’s Silberlocke” - Beautiful fluorescent blue-green needles arch back and around the stem exposing the bright silver undersides. Pyramidal shape that can be trimmed. Grows 4-6” per year.
Abies lasiocarpa arizonica glauca compacta - Powder blue needles that give a very soft appearance. Dense branching creates a tight conical form. Can be trimmed to desired shape and size. Grows 2-4” per year.
Abies alba ‘Green Spiral’ - A strong central leader to this upright central form of European Silver Fir. Soft, short needles on downward pointing stems. Grows 12” per year. May reach 15 ft in 10 years
CYPRESS - Chamaecyparis
Cedrus atlantica glauca - Steely-blue needles look great year round. Very upright and pyramidal when young, aging to a more rounded open habit. Grows 12” per year.
Cedrus atlantica glauca “Horstmann” - Same steely-blue foliage as the popular Blue Atlas Cedar, but with a slower growing, small structure. Grows 4-6” per year.
Cedrus atlantica glauca “Pendula” - A waterfall of blue branches looks great all year. Can be trimmed and shaped to your desired look. Grows 10-12” per year.
Cedrus deodara “Divinely Blue” - Attractive blue-green to powder blue foliage sits on branches with drooping tips. Slow growing pyramidal shape. Keep out of cold winter winds. 6 ft tall 3-4 ft wide. 4-6" growth per year.
Cedrus libani glauca pendula - A graceful weeper with glossy, blue-green needles. Long arching branches can be trimmed. Grows 6-12” per year.
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis glauca pendula - A medium sized specimen with loose flowing branches that cascades from a pyramidal form. Blue-green foliage. Grows 10-12” per year. 20 years: 20-30 ft tall 8-10 ft wide.
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis glauca pendula “Green Arrow” - The narrowest of the Alaskan Cedars. Is perfect for a limited space growing only 2-4 ft wide. Can stretch upward to 12-15” tall. Grows 12” a year.
JUNIPER -Juniperus
Chamaecyparis obtusa aurea - Beautiful golden foliage is held in flat sprays on a background of deep green - adding color all year long. Grows 6-8” per year.
Chamaecyparis obtusa compacta - Slow growing upright form with deep green fan-like foliage. More dense and narrow than “Gracilis” Grows 6” per year.
Chamaecyparis obtusa “Gracilis” - The most popular Hinoki. Beautiful glossy green fan-like foliage form a pyramidal shape. Can be grown in sun or shade. Grows 8-10” per year.
Chamaecyparis obtusa “Kosteri” - A dwarf upright conifer with a dense habit. Bright green flattened foliage turns a slight bronze in winter. Grows 4” per year.
Chamaecyparis pisifera cyanovitidis - Soft silver-blue foliage trimmed into a classic pom-pom topiary shape. Good for confined spaces. Annual pruning to maintain shape is a must. Grows 3” per year.
Cupressus glabra - Attractive, frosty, silver-blue foliage. Loose, conical shape. Beautiful specimen for a more sheltered spot-keep out of cold NW winter winds. Grows 10-12” per year.
Juniperus chinensis “Blue Point” - A favorite stately specimen with densely branched, broad pyramidal form. Blue/green foliage adds to its appeal. Try it as a vertical accent in the flower garden, patio focal piece, or designating an entranceway. Easily trimmed. 10-14 ft tall 5-6 ft wide.
Juniperus squamata Blue Star - steel-blue star-like foliage form a tight, dense habit. Best in full sun. Grows 2-3” per year.
SPRUCE - Picea
Picea abies pendula - One of the best weeping conifers, each plant has its own unique form. Rich deep green foliage on cascading and arching branches. New cones in spring are a vivid purple before aging to brown. Grows 6-10” per year.
Picea glauca “Pendula” - A beautiful narrow habit with a strong central leader. All side branches weep down. Grey-blue foliage, great focal point for small spaces. Grows 6-8” per year.
Picea omorika ‘Pendula Bruns” - Elegant columnar form, slightly twisted, pendulous branches with two-tone foliage of green and silver. Great for narrow spaces. Grows 6-8” per year.
Picea omorika nana - A dwarf compact globe with contrasting green and silver foliage. Dence shape can be trimmed. Grows 2-4” per year.
Picea Omorika - An upright pyramidal shape with downward branches that turn up at the dips. Silvery blue-green needles. Grows 12” per year.
Picea pungens Baby Blue - semi dwarf form of Colorado Blue Spruce.
Picea pungens glauca globosa - Bright blue coloration on a compact, globe-shaped plant. This neat conifer will complement any rock garden or other home landscape use, and is virtually maintenance-free to maintain its shape. Grows about 3" per year.
Picea pungens glauca pendula - A weeping or prostrate form of Colorado Blue Spruce with irregular branching. Beautiful blue draping branches. Grows 6” per year.
A dense evergreen with dusty blue needles on pendulous branches almost skirted in appearance. Durable, very hardy, an outstanding accent tree. Grows 4-6” per year.
Picea Orentalis ‘Aureospicata’ - Stunning, bright yellow spring growth creates a dramatic contrast against the mature foliage of this slow-growing, pyramidal evergreen. Grows 8-10” per year. 7ft tall 3 ft wide in 10 years
Picea Orientalis - A completely flat growing selection with layered branches and short, shiny dark green needles. Grows 3” per year
Picea pungens “Blue Falls” - Outstanding blue color with a full weeping form provides much interest cascading over a wall or accent boulders, nice to fill a corner garden or serve as a focal point. You may stake as desired to acieve height or direction of width. Grows 4-6" per year.
PINE - Pinus
Pinus Densiflora Oculus Draconis - A type of Japanese Red Pine has variegated needles with bands of yellow alternating with green. It appears to resemble the eye of a dragon when viewed from above.
Pinus thunbergii - Very unique, compact and dense branches are upright with thin needles and a bottle brush appearance to the branches. Low growing. Grows 3” per year
Pinus thunbergii ‘Ogon’ - Rich golden-yellow foliage most prominent in more sunlight. Irregular shape. A slow growing, evergreen standout! Grows 6” per year. 8 ft tall 5 ft wide in 10 years.
Pinus Densiflora Umbraculifera - A very attractive small tree that naturally develops a flat-topped umbrella-like silhouette. Slow grower.
Pinus cembra - Excellent narrow pyramidal tree with blue-green needles. Grows slowly at 3-6" per year.
Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’ - A compact dense pyramid with blue and green needles. A vigorous grower with a high resistance to both insects and diseases. Grows 12” per year.
Pinus koraiensis dwarf - Bright silvery-blue long needles on a semi-dwarf narrow tree with a moderate growth rate. 8 ft tall in 10 years.
Pinus koraiensis Jack Korbit - Blue-green needles have yellow banding. The best variegated form of Korean Pine. The long needles bend, giving a tufted appearance. Grows 6-8" per year. 7ft tall 3-4 ft wide in 10 years.
Pinus koraiensis Morris Blue - Upright, moderately fast growing tree form with a nice conical structure, dense branching, and long, silvery blue-green needles. Grows 6-8 inches per year.
Pinus parviflora Glauca - A small tree with an irregular open habit. It has coarse steel-blue needles that are twisted. Excellent for Japanese gardens or small areas. Grows 6-8" per year.
Pinus parviflora “Templehoff" - Fairly short, silvery-blue-green needles are bunched along the branches of this interesting conifer. Full bodied, upright, pyramidal growth to 8-10 ft in 10 years. grows 4-6" per year.
Pinus strobus “Blue Shag” - A dwarf round flat globe with soft long needles of blue-green. Grows about 3" per year. Easily trimmed to shape.
Pinus strobus “Horsford" - A dwarf bun shape with thin green needles. Plant looks like a pillow of soft green foliage. Grows 1-3" per year.
Pinus strobus pendula - Attractive, contorted, weeping form. Each plant will take on its own shape. Grows 6-12" per year.
Pinus sylvestris “Scotch Pine” - A semi-dwarf trained and trimmed pine. Growing about 3" per year. Needles are coarse blue-green. Must be trimmed and kept in its balled shape.
Pinus thunbergii “Thunderhead” - A new dwarf form with a dense globe shape. Heavy, white buds stand out against the dark green densely-packed needles. Grows 3-4" per year.
Misc.
Corylus avellana contorta - The twisted branches make this a real eye catcher. Large leaves droop on the plant to add more interest. Golden yellow fall color. Grows 4-6” per year.
Cryptomeria japonica “Yoshino” - fast growing pyramidal form with bright evergreen foliage all year.
Sciadopitys verticillata -
Tsuga canadensis pendula - Fine green needles on pendulous branches. Stake for more height, or let it ground cover and weep over. Grows 6-8" per year.