IN THE GARDEN

Conifers

BY DALE SKAGGS, DIRECTOR OF HORTICULTURE AT DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS

conifers can provide drama in gardens, and many of them make fantastic specimen plants. Having attended university in the Pacific northwest, where conifers dominate, I have developed a great admiration for their use in the landscape. The southeastern United States is known for the large number of broadleaf evergreens that thrive here, but it has only a few needled evergreens to choose from, unlike other parts of the country. As gardeners learn which ones will do well in this climate, conifers are becoming more and more popular.

In fact, the southern region of the American Conifer Society, an organization formed to educate the world on conifer trees, grew faster in the past few years than any other. A great reference was published in 2013 by John Ruter and Thomas Cox entitled Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast.

Here in the Mid South, we are limited in the options we have when selecting these cone-bearing plants for our gardens. Conifers don’t grow well in our heavy, often poorly draining clay soils. They also have problems due to our hot, humid nights during the summer.

The difference of a few hundred miles can determine what will thrive. For example, these evergreens grow much better in Nashville. When selecting plants, the decision should be based on the knowledge of what flourishes specifically in a particular locale. This is a concept that holds true for almost all of horticulture. I often see box stores bring in plants that are attractive, but I know that they will not succeed in our climate.

A few types of conifers can survive and thrive in Mid South gardens, however, and I would like to share some of my favorites.

Except for the Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), which is actually a juniper, and the occasional pine tree (Pinus sp.), evergreen cone-bearing plants are not found in the Mid South native landscape. In cultivated landscapes, we do see junipers, arborvitae, pines and the occasional cryptomeria.

If space allows, some of the most architectural trees for gardens are the true cedars (Cedrus), of which there are four species in the world. The two that work best here are the Deodar Cedar (Cedrus deodara) and the Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica). They both like good drainage and can be fairly drought tolerant once established.

these species grow to a height of over 100 feet, with amazing, sweeping branches. The needles occur in clusters, and the cones are held upright. The cones shatter on the plants to disperse seeds, making it unusual to find an intact cone on the ground.

Numerous cultivars also exist in a plethora of shapes and sizes. For smaller gardens I like the Horstmann Cedar, (Cedrus atlantica ‘Horstmann’), a much slower and more compact grower. A Horstmann Cedar, around 10 feet tall and eight feet wide after eight years, is thriving in the Dixon parking lot island, and receives no supplemental irrigation.

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar, (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’), a weeping form common in the nursery trade, has rope-like stems that can be trained in a myriad of forms. I remember some spectacular older examples of Weeping Blue Atlas Cedars near the Big Backyard children’s garden at the Memphis Botanic Garden that were intentionally planned around while designing that garden, but they eventually succumbed, as plants often do when construction occurs around them. A number of fine old, true cedar specimens can also be found at the Memphis Botanic Garden. These large cedars verify that they work well in this climate.

Another preferred plant that has become more common in the Mid South over the past ten years is the Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica), which is not really a cedar either. A timber tree on the island of Japan, it can grow tall, with a very nice conical shape and soft branches. Like many conifers, it needs sun. The cultivar ‘Yoshino’ grows to 30-40 feet and works well as a large screen at the entrance to the Dixon property.

There are some 200 cultivars of Japanese Cedar listed worldwide, many from Japan. Some forms are short and rounded, like the three- to four-foot Cryptomeria japonica ‘Globosa Nana’. Many shrub forms, like ‘Black Dragon’ with dark foliage, reach about 10 feet. These plants are easy to grow in Memphis.

Another favorite conifer, seemingly an unlikely fit for the Mid South, is the Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). This plant is native to the eastern part of Tennessee, where it has been plagued by the woolly adelgid, an insect pest accidentally introduced into the United States. So far, we haven’t had an issue locally with this pest, probably because we are geographically isolated from the native populations.

The Eastern Hemlock is what ecologists refer to as a climax species conifer, which means it will grow in the shade. In fact, it performs best in shade in the Memphis area. It is amazing the difference a few degrees of heat moderated by shade can make. If the plant is sited with good drainage, it makes a great screen for the shade, but I haven’t had good luck with the plant in full sun here. Hugo Dixon planted many of them in the Dixon gardens and many have persisted, never attaining the height of the ones in the Appalachian Mountains, but still an attractive amenity for any shady space.

My favorite conifer has a perfect conical shape and is one of the only tightly growing conifers that will thrive in our climate. I have killed many Colorado Blue Spruces and Dwarf Alberta Spruces, trying them multiple times because the shape is so appealing. The Picea orientalis from the Caucasus Mountains is a great performer for us. In the wild it can grow to 60 feet. Lots of cultivars exist, lending a great deal of diversity in terms of size and color. Rarely seen in the Mid South, it is usually found in the landscape of a serious gardener, or at least an adventurous one. I know specimens that have persisted for decades. I have even transplanted a 25-foot Picea purchased from the Pacific northwest that is thriving after six years in the ground.

Another lesser used conifer in our area is the Nootka Cedar (Cupressus nootkatensis ) which, like the others having cedar as a common name, is not a cedar at all but a Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’. Often called the weeping Alaskan Cedar, the name can dissuade gardeners in this area from trying it. However, this plant does very well here if sited with a little protection from the western sun, in well-draining, rich soil. The plants tend to have personalities with their expressive, drooping branches, making fine specimens and creating garden focal points. There are numerous cultivars in the nursery trade.

These are a few of the conifers I prefer to use in local gardens. They grow well with proper siting. It is refreshing to move beyond the typical broadleaf evergreens and azaleas and add the drama of a contrasting conifer to the mix. It’s possible to find sizes and colors for every space, so go ahead and impress your friends with your horticultural sophistication and prowess by planting a specimen conifer.

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