Your Garden: Dwarf conifers are delightful addition to landscape

Dear Roger: Could you suggest some dwarf conifers for my garden? I saw some at the Ralston arboretum in Raleigh last week, and they were amazing. Thank you. - Claude Wheaton, Southern Pines

Dear Claude: I have been remiss in not writing more about dwarf conifers in recent years. Many conifers cannot take our hot summers. There are still so many good ones to choose from that I'll spend two days on the subject. Today, we cover fir, spruce, hemlock, larch, sequoia and taxus.

Tomorrow in Sunday Life, we'll cover all the rest that can cope with the heat in our region.

Firs

• Abies fraseri 'Kein's Nest': Spreading form of the fraser fir with short, thick needles, medium to dark green. Long, horizontal main branches give the plant a horizontal appearance. Fraser firs are native to the North Carolina mountains.
• Spruces Picea pungens 'Blue Pearl': This is a sport from Picea pungens 'Fat Albert' found at Iseli Nursery. Silvery blue needles on very dense, short shoots make for a tight bun-shaped plant. Grows less than 3 feet in 10 years. A true dwarf.
• Picea pungens 'Compacta': A dense-growing form with an especially bright blue color and long, curved needles. Buds are rounded. Grows about 5 feet in 10 years.
• Picea pungens 'Globe': A slow-growing, compact form of Colorado spruce. Plants start off round and become broadly upright after many years. Good texture contrast for the rock garden. Up to 1.5 feet in 10 years.
• Picea pungens 'Iseli Foxtail': An unusual form of the blue spruce, aptly named for the tapered needle length being longer at the base of the shoot than at the shoot tip. According to the late Dr. J.C. Raulston of N.C. State University, this selection has shown greater adaptability to the climate of the southeast compared with other Colorado spruce selections. Grows 10 feet in 10 years. Not at all dwarf, but very fine.
• Picea glauca 'Pendula': A weeping selection of an old clone that is distinctive in its very formal habit, yet very pendulous with stiffly held, downward-hanging branches, heavily covered with soft, light gray-green needles forming a narrow, conical shape. Grows 10 feet in 10 years. Not so dwarf.

Sequoia

• Sequoiadendron giganteum 'Pendulum': This remarkable garden centerpiece is also known as the 'Dr. Seuss' tree. Its winding, hanging branches are draped with foliage. The main trunk grows predominantly upright, occasionally dipping, then growing upright again. Often develops secondary branches that also bob and weave. Its needle color is a rich green, and the bark is very thick. Grows 10 feet or more in 10 years.

Taxus

• Taxus baccata 'Amersforte' 'Amersforte': Has a leaf shape that is unusual for Taxus, with short, oval, flattened needles. This attractive, slow-growing shrub is dark green and has stiff, outward-spreading branches. 'Amersforte' is a fine addition to the collector's garden. Grows about 7 feet in 10 years.
• Taxus cuspidata 'Dwarf Bright Gold': Spreading habit with good golden-yellow color. Needles have vertical green and yellow striations. May burn in hot summer sun. Good color sport in part shade. Grows up to 6 feet in 10 years.
• Taxus cuspidata 'Nana Aurescens': An outstanding sunny-yellow, low-spreading plant. Eye-catching brilliant foliage. Reaches 3 to 4 feet in 10 years. Very bright yellow and excellent in part shade in hot climates.

Larch

• Larix laricina 'Newport Beauty': Unusual, soft blue-green needles on a dwarf, congested, globe-form plant. A deciduous conifer, the exposed twigs add a structural element to the winter garden. Grows 5 feet tall in 10 years.

Hemlocks

• Tsuga canadensis 'Abbott's Pygmy': Possibly the smallest hemlock cultivar and also one of the smallest of all conifers. Tiny dark green leaves on a globose shaped plant. Despite its tiny size, this is a tough, hardy plant only needing protection from the strong afternoon sun and, more importantly, protection from foot traffic. May eventually reach 1 foot tall.
• Tsuga canadensis 'Aurea Compacta': This dwarf is a cheerful bright gold with a stiff, upright habit. Also known as 'Everitt's Golden.' Reaches 4 feet in 10 years.
• Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate': A great choice for your shaded rock or native garden. 'Cole's Prostrate' grows slowly, spreading flat on the ground, softening harsh edges or cascading over walls. Whitish gnarled bark is exposed adding contrast to the soft green foliage. May eventually reach 3 feet tall, but spreads widely.
• Tsuga canadensis 'Horsford Contorted': Twisted branches and coiled, contorted branchlets. Sometimes listed as 'Pigtail,' which describes the curious branching pattern. Plant in an unconventional garden location for fun. Reaches 4 feet in 10 years.
• Tsuga caroliniana 'LaBar Weeping': All of the hemlocks native to the North Carolina mountains grow better than the more norther Tsuga canadensis. This is a weeping form of Carolina hemlock that reaches perhaps 5 feet tall and 12 feet across in 15 years. It is a beautiful, fresh green color.

Send your questions and comments to roger@mercergarden.com or call Roger Mercer at 424-4756. You may send plant and pest samples to Roger Mercer, 6215 Maude St., Fayetteville, NC 28306. Please include your telephone number.