Month: August 2024

Loads of long, super-fine, two-color needles produce an airy, delicate quality, while a profusion of handsome, resinous cones adds to the presence of the large, graceful Pinus x schwerinii ‘Wiethorst’. Discovered in Germany as a witch’s broom on Pinus x schwerinii, a pine hybrid combining strobus and wallichiana, it gets hardiness from the Eastern White Pine and grace and extremely long needles from the Himalayan White Pine. The outstanding, hardy tree will form a dramatic background or add an outstanding accent to the large landscape. Mature size: 20’H x 15’W Zone 4

Picea abies ‘Gold Drift’ adds color to the garden in whatever shape and boundaries the gardener allows it to have. Early spring brings bright lime green new growth. The foliage that is fully exposed to the sun turns a vibrant yellow in late spring and summer. The brilliance continues until winter when the color becomes more subdued. Can be allowed to ramble as a ground-cover, drape over rock walls, or become a garden feature when staked upright. Zone 3

Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Carpet’ almost says it all. “Blue” points to the color of the sharp, overlapping, densely arranged needles. “Carpet” acknowledges the plant’s low, spreading form and might suggest its adaptable nature (it tolerates dry soils). Even “squamata” refers to the scaly bark typical of the species. Together, these features add up to an excellent, ground-covering choice for banks, slopes and other challenging sites. Mature size: 3’H x 12’W Zone 3

This well-known, compact arborvitae is popular for dark green, vertical sprays of foliage that stay green all year. Thuja occidentalis ‘Holmstrup’ has a rugged, conical form, and since plants grow relatively slowly and stay mid-size, they are great for places with limited space and a need for green. The extremely hardy Danish selection that was introduced in 1951 is durable and adaptable. Mature size: 15’H x 12’W Zone 3

Super hardy with a super form, Prairie Statesman^® will make an elegant statement under some of the harshest conditions. Soft, emerald green foliage, with a hint of silvery blue, adorns this perfectly symmetrical tree. Its columnar habit provides a narrow footprint making it suitable for the home garden as well as large landscapes. Drought tolerant and extremely cold hardy, it is an excellent selection by Dr. Dale Herman, North Dakota State University. Mature size: 12’H x 6’W Zone 3

Pinus mugo ‘Slowmound’ is an Iseli TRUdwarf^® introduction with so many superior traits that it is designated a Jean Iseli Signature plant, a distinction reserved for plants that exhibit “marked improvement” over others on the market. The dense, dark green mound is one of the best, with highly reliable color, texture, growth rate and habit. Beautiful year-round, Slowmound Mugo Pine produces many showy buds and matures to a wide, even shape that is naturally compact. At only 1-2′ in 10 years, it works well in even the most confined areas. Mature size: 4’H x 6’W Zone 2

Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’ is an immensely popular juniper, discovered in Holland as a witch’s broom on J.s. ‘Meyeri’ and introduced in 1964, deserves its reputation as a winning garden selection. It has sharp, blue, densely arranged needles, filling short branches that suggest the tips on a many-point star, and a usable form that slowly spreads becoming broader than tall. Mature size: 2’H x 3’W Zone 4

The dense, wide-spreading Juniperus squamata ‘Holger’ produces bright, creamy-yellow new growth that stands out above the plant’s older, bluish foliage. The unique color combination makes a stunning and dramatic show. Sharp, densely arranged, pointed needles and scaly bark, typical of the species, add character and interest. Mature size: 4’H x 8’W Zone 4

The extremely slow-growing, dense, bun-shaped Pinus mugo ‘Mitsch Mini’ sports so many short branchlets and slightly twisted, short needles that the surface almost appears smooth. A TRUdwarf^® mugo selected by John Mitsch of Aurora, Oregon, the reliable, consistent pine takes on a frosted look when its waxy buds emerge. Site this distinctive beauty in a prime location in the rock garden, trough or miniature railroad. Mature size: 1’H x 2’W Zone 2

Ideal for the smallest site, Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Tsukumo’ is a rounded bun that almost doubles as a mossy green rock. It has dense, finely textured green foliage and grows so slowly that it won’t outsize a trough or rock garden. The compact cushion, which is hardy, tough and resilient, is wider than it is tall. Occasionally, short feathery plumes will sprout out among the fine foliage, adding character and dimension, or may simply be removed to maintain the most compact, tiny mound. Mature size: 1.5’H x 1.5’W Zone 4