A popular evergreen, possibly superseding our own native white spruce in use. Often used as windbreaks, mass plantings and specimen plantings.

This shrub, with its charming shape, is a good choice for adding texture and substance to the garden border. In the summer, it takes a back seat to the colourful perennials, but in winter, the bright...

Picea abies 'Ohlendorffii' is a fast growing, adaptable, hardy, dense, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub. The attractive and easy to maintain evergreen can be round to conical in shape, filling...

Fast growing evergreen conifer, with dense, upward spreading branching and a low canopy.

A charming, very dense, compact cultivar that can be planted as an accent or specimen plant in the a garden or border front.

An interesting tree because of its form although of limited value in the landscape expect with the plant collector or used carefully as an accent or specimen.

Arnold Dwarf Norway Spruce is a compact conifer with a broad, conical shape. Its form makes it a good choice for rock gardens or borders where a 'filler' is desired. It has attractive mid to...

A woody evergreen shrub with cones at branch terminals giving it an unusual pendulous shape.

Picea abies 'Mucronata' or Mucronata Norway Spruce is a woody evergreen shrub with attractive dark, rich green foliage.

A rather brash but loveable form of the Norway spruce. Its bold, distinct form causes it to be quite pronounced in the landscape so caution is needed in its use.

The spruce tree has a very attractive, weeping form that is completely different from its parent. It is a good choice for a specimen or accent.

This is a graceful looking tree once it has matured, although a bit awkward looking when young. It has dark green foliage which creates a great background for more colourful plants within the garden....

The Snake Spruce is an interesting evergreen tree and a popular ornamental. Its long pendulous branches make it a good choice as a specimen tree. It tolerates most soil conditions, salt, urban...

A nicely formed dwarf spruce tolerant of urban environments. Works well in gardens, with perennials, and en masse. An attractive, clean-cut looking shrub requiring minimal maintenance.

This is a great choice for collectors and plant enthusiasts, different shades of yellow add impressive colour to any landscape throughout the season. The mature tree will fill the landscape with...

This golden variety is very seldom seen and has yet to see its maximum growth potential unlike its related species. It is a aesthetically pleasing cultivar. When used in the landscape, if healthy...

This dwarf evergreen would make an excellent addition to a small garden. It is quite a character because it does not know whether it wants to be a ground cover, shrub or small tree. While its lower...

Picea abies ‘Maxwellii’ is a nice, low maintenance dwarf shrub with a pleasant blueish tinge producing a desirable ground cover.

Overall a compact dwarf conifer with a pleasing form and an all around colourful interest.

Picea abies 'Saint James' is a low-lying evergreen shrub with dense dark green foliage and very small cones. The dense foliage helps it keep its shape in winter.

Picea wilsonii, or Wilson’s Spruce, is a species of spruce endemic to central China, and one that has seen little use anywhere outside of its natural range. It is a tall evergreen tree that will...

A very good shrub for a broad dense ground cover. The variety of light green and dark green needles in different seasons provide a variety of colour in the landscape. A very good planting if...

Another class plant that is not planted as frequently as it should be. Although not tolerant of the wide exposure of conditions that Blue Spruce is, it is a good substitute in protected locations....

A class plant for the small landscape, or used as a detail specimen in the larger landscape. Slow growing but very reliable and care free it is a plant that sees little use but should be used more.

Personally I love spruce trees, the skunk like smell the needles give off is a bit repulsive but the colour and texture of the bark is appealing. It is a nice windbreak plant and serves a utilitarian...

Undoubtedly one of the most popular dwarf evergreens found in Canadian gardens. Often over and misused, but as the photograph depicts here, it can be a magnificent specimen.

A very notable species which does not gain a lot of attention, and therefore is mysterious. Excellent colour and form, being a dull silver green and quite dense. Makes an excellent windbreak due to...

Next to Picea orientalis this is my favorite spruce. A class plant with refined form, colour and behavior. This should be one of the first spruce to be included in the garden.

A coarse leaved conifer but with a distinct pyramidal form. A dull green to pale blue grey in colour.

A very common landscape tree in Southern Ontario, with a wide variety of forms and colours amongst those planted. Cultivars of the form are more consistent and uniform and hence my preference towards...

An intensely compact form of Blue Spruce producing a somewhat irregular globe. It is also available as a grafted standard (should be illegal) I find the non standard form tolerable.

A popular plant that is still in demand because of its intense blue colour. Narrow, almost columnar form see this plant planted close to buildings. An excellent plant for large landscapes.

A beautiful evergreen good for mass planting or to compliment a conifer garden as well as being very low maintenance.

A very elegant, stately tree. The Norway spruce is much more common, partly due to its cold hardiness and greater availability, but the Oriental Spruce is a much nicer specimen, due to is graceful...

The widest range of any Abies in North America. Makes its best growth in cold climates. Valued for its spicy fragrance, neat shape and and bluish-green colour.

An unusual plant that is a welcome addition to the class garden, care should be taken to select a worthy form of the plant that is strongly pyramidal as I have seen and grown some unkempt forms....

Typically grown for Christmas trees but a favoured tree for its foliage and needles that aren't sharp and don't drop off when dry.

Slow growing, with most specimens being somewhat dwarf. It is slightly more heat tolerant than many firs but still does best in cold climates.

This is a beautiful specimen tree, the pronounced upward facing branches makes it stand out. It is not a very effective windbreak as it has an open form. The white undersides of the leaves and the...

Crowded, dark glossy needles. Fraser Fir has been designated the Cadillac of Christmas Trees; rare in cultivation otherwise.

Picea mariana can thrive in many conditions, whether it being weather, site or even the soil it is growing in. This tree can grow to 18 m tall with a canopy spread of about 30 m.

The red spruce should be planted in wet or swampy sites. Maximum development occurs in high humidity and rainfall. Possible uses are windbreakers and Christmas trees. Likes slightly acidic to neutral...

A good tree to use as a screen for privacy. Better suited for a less busy residential area or even better a country property. Great for planting in groups, in rows or a vista; one of the best Firs...

The dwarf balsam fir is a very popular garden conifer because of its size, compact form and its rich dark green colour. A well behaved evergreen suited to a variety of uses.

Usually a medium sized shrub, with a pyramidal outline, with small green needles on the dense branch's thin stems. Variegated new foliage in the spring.

A stunning, attractive and uniquely coloured semi-dwarf evergreen with sharp blue-silver needles.

A popular dwarf conifer often confused with P pungens 'Glauca Globosa' since they are both somewhat rounded and compact in form. Montgomery will grow larger, faster and become a loose...

Alberta Globe White Spruce is an excellent addition to any garden, especially those with limited space. The interesting shape and foliage adds texture and form to the landscape and due to its low...

Well suited to small gardens. Requires little to no pruning but does need some winter protection to prevent desiccation. Some may choose to grow this plant in a container but, will look best in a...

A dwarf compact conifer with attractive silver-blue needles. This shrub is a dense evergreen specimen excellent for rock gardens or other ornamental small spaces and can also be used for general...

Often used as an accent specimen in the landscape because of its narrow, compact, dense form. In situations where some of the other large cultivars such as Hoopsi are crowded this might be a suitable...

A rather rare oddity and not widely available. It is a plant however that I believe may have merit in the small garden because of its dense, compact from and great colour.

Originally grafted from the witches broom on a Picea mariana. It is grown in the landscape for the colourful evergreen foliage, interesting shape, texture and its small size. It can be used as a...

A compact, dwarf, slow growing but open branched plant with glossy green needles.

An attractive accent plant; tall and slender weeping style tree with deep green foliage but emerging light green at youth. The lower weeping branches can act as a ground cover for the surrounding...

Can be trained into a fantastic spiral form but requires staking and additional training. Left relatively untrained, ‘pendula’ leans towards one side and the drooping branches instead give it a...

Abies squamata is an upright conifer with dark blue-green needles and a silvery underside. It's a great evergreen tree for house hold landscapes; it can with stand very low tempatures and is low...

The noble fir is aptly named because it is a large majestic tree reaching up to 30 m tall, with a symmetrical pyramidal shape. If there is enough room in a landscape it makes a lovely specimen tree...

A fir with a conic crown, from slender to broad, growing irregular and broken on dry soils. When open grown, the branches begin at the base of the tree.

A narrow-conic evergreen that is highly valued in Canada and the United States for its cold tolerance.

Abies squamata ‘Flaky’ is very unique and an interesting evergreen tree. With its rich, flaky-like bark and intense purple cones, this rare tree is truly a specimen plant when used in the...

A newly discovered cultivar that exhibits brilliant yellow new growth contrasting with the bluish-green colours of the older growth. A very attractive pyramidal spruce and an excellent focal point...

With its attractive colour and dense foliage, this tree acts as a lovely specimen while not occupying too much space. With the needles at the shoot tips being shorter than those at the base; it gives...

By far, the Brewer Spruce is the most interesting spruce due to its great form and pendulous branches. Unfortunately, this tree is quite difficult to establish outside of its natural habitat of the...

This 'Golden Beauty' is both bold and classy giving an elegant and polished look in the landscape. Its golden soft foliage cascades down the stem giving it a delicate feathery appearance. ...

Picea glauca 'Jean's Dilly' is a very slow growing dwarf evergreen growing at about two thirds the rate of a similar cultivar P. glauca 'Conica'. Additionally its needles are...

A very nice dwarf conifer with attractive needles and refreshing spring growth. Well suited for rock gardens and containers. This conifer is generally disease free and easy to care for.

Although glorified by many, I find this plant to be disapointing in comparison to the straight species. Its dense compact form causes it to lack the elegance provided by the ascending, pendulous...

I would use this tree on large properties as a property line. As a sapling. this tree would do well on small properties but once it gains maturity, it will become too tall and skinny.

This it is one of my favourite species. This cultivar has many positive attributes and only a few downfalls. This low maintenance, well kept, handsome tree shows its true beauty when the new growth...

This tree makes an excellent specimen. It does well in many conditions, making it an ideal plant without any demanding maintenance.

Weeping White Spruce is suited to the designed landscape since its narrow, dense compact shape and light blue colour present a very architectural but compact, contemporary form.

Abies bracteata is quite a rare fir and makes a fantastic specimen with it’s unique cones and long resinous bracts.

Listed as vulnerable on the current IUCN red list (http://www.iucnredlist.org).

A evergreen tree native to China and may be considered an invasive species since it dominates nearly 50% of some forests. It is similar to most other trees in its genus but this particular species...

A conic coniferous fir with an open crown.

Abies mariesii is a high altitude plant requiring well-drained soils and wet climatic conditions in full sun. It is not recommended for landscape use due to its overall size and specific growing...

A coniferous fir with a conical crown that spreads and becomes flat with age.

A dwarf conifer, broadly pyramidal with bright blue needles.

Larry Stanley who has more than 30 years of experience in the nursery industry and founded Stanley and Sons Nursery with his father in 1976 discovered Stanleys Dwarf. It was originally planted as a...

A large, long-lived pine (250 years) with a narrow, dense dropping crown.

A dwarf that is compact and does not exceed 1 m tall, short needles and small purple-coloured cones.

A rare cultivar that produces unique creamy white spring growth changing to a dark green colour as it matures. An excellent focal point for the landscape it works well as an accent plant in both...

Abies amabilis is a climax species of America that is usually found in the cool, moist climate on the eastern side of Canada and the United States of America. This particular tree can live to around...

A dwarf, compact, slow growing, spreading conifer with rich, dark free needles with the supper branches becoming exposed (balding) as the plant matures presenting a somewhat aged appearance.

Abies grandis is a long lived tree, sometimes living more than 300 years, and is used for many different medical and aesthetic purposes. Boughs from the tree are sometimes used as both a moth...

The largest spruce in the world is the Sitka spruce. Reaching average heights between 30-60 m with a diameter at breast height (d.b.h) of about 2 m. Being light in weight and having high strength,...

A tree similar in character to A. nordmanniana with branches skirting the base of the trunk touching the ground.

A tall coniferous evergreen with rising horizontal branches.

A coniferous evergreen that is conic when young, becoming dense and columnar with age.

This spruce is a new woody plant for 2014. It has vibrant lemon-lime coloured needles.

Slow growing evergreen conifer.

Large sized conical conifer.

A very tall, gangly looking tree, acquiring a more columnar form as it matures over time. Branching on this species is short and protruding out of the main trunk horizontally. As the tree becomes...

A critically endangered tree, a single vertical stem with an expansive, conical crown. Flat needles a dark green colour on the upper side and striped blue-green underneath.

Abies alba, 'Green Spiral' is a weeping form of silver fir. A strong central stem with branches that spiral around it. Branches and stems point downward into short curves. The original...

The Golden Korean Fir is a beautiful plant offering a beautiful golden colour in the spring. After the golden colour on the needles fades, it shows its stunning deep purple cones. This tree is used...

Picea pungens 'Fat Albert' is a cultivar well known for its uniformity of shape as well as its distinct silvery blue colour. Not only does it provide great winter interest, but it is also a...

Picea jezoensis is a large evergreen tree that grows 30-50 m tall and is native to parts of North Eastern Asia and Japan. There are uses for virtually every part of this tree. The tree itself is a...

The Picea sitchensis ‘Papoose’ (part of the Pinaceae family) is a slow growing woody evergreen shrub. This plant has sharp ornamentally appealing foliage. Its foliage is silvery-blue on the...

I love the bright yellow green foliage on this tree. unlike the straight species this seems to have broader shape. The weeping branches also add to the effect of its beautiful foliage, wouldn’t...

This is a good looking tree that fascinates me and I would own but it cannot grow in Canada's climates. I think it is an aesthetically pleasing tree with purple cones and its pyramidal shape...

Abies concolor “wintergold” is a medium-sized pyramidal tree that has an interesting ornamental value from its beautiful yellow color caused by colder temperatures. It is commonly used as a...

In my opinion, this tree is extremely versatile and can be used in various settings. It is an excellent ornamental tree that can make a beautiful edition to and property whether it be a backyard or a...

Picea asperata is an endemic spruce species, which mainly occurs in unconnected mountainous areas of northwestern Sichuan Province and southern Gansu Province, approximately within the geographical...

It will come as no surprise to hear that the Guatemalan Fir is adored for its lovely scent. Like all other firs, the lovely soft foliage, wonderful form, green colour with silvery white undertones,...