Conifers for the Home Landscape
As winter approaches and the landscape is full of deciduous trees, it might be nice to have a spot of green here or there. Now is a great time to evaluate and decide where a nice conifer might fit in next year. The tendency is to lump all conifers into one category: pine trees. However, that is not the case.
A conifer is a cone-bearing plant and those cones come in varying sizes and shapes, just like the plants that bear them. There are spruces, hemlocks, pines, and firs and each has their own unique characteristics.
Conifers are not just green. Scotch pines have brownish orange bark and bluish green needles, Spruce and Balsam fir are a deeper green, some Austrian Pines are a goldish color, Deodar cedars have a definite blue tint.
Conifers can easily be identified by their needles. Pines have needles that are bundled together at the base by a papery sheath. The bundles can be in groups of 2, 3, or 5. Spruce needles are four-sided and square, born singly on small pegs attached to the branch and not in a bundle. They tend to be sturdier than pine needles. Fir needles (as well as hemlocks and yews) are soft and flat, attached directly to the branch.
Before choosing the tree for your site, know the conditions, including light, soil type, and space for planting. Ideally a soil test will help determine the best selection. Some trees will not prosper in heavy clay nor sandy soil, so take care in determining the right place for the right plant. Most conifers prefer a loamy, well-drained soil. However, there are some that can withstand difficult conditions. For instance, Balsam fir can tolerate wet soils, some of the pines (Mugo, and Scotch) can be planted in sandy soil, and Austrian pine, Ponderosa pine and White fir are more tolerant of clay soils.
The one tree that should be avoided is the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens). Unfortunately, this tree is highly susceptible to several fungal diseases, including Rhizosphaera needle cast and Cytospora canker. These will significantly shorten the life span of the tree and while it is dying it will be unsightly. Concolor fir (Abies concolor) is a good large tree alternative with similar blue-green foliage to Colorado spruce. If it is a spruce tree specifically that is desired, consider Norway spruce or White spruce instead.
Cedars, with needles that are soft, short and grouped in whorls on pegs are another popular conifer. In particular, arborvitae (red cedar, although technically in the cypress family) is one of the most popular landscape plants, however they are also popular with deer. So, care needs to be taken with the planting location.
If a full-grown conifer is too much for the urban lot, consider one of the many dwarf varieties. Norway spruce (as well as several others), Mugo pine, several firs, and the Arborvitae are just a few that have dwarf varieties that would be just the ticket for a small space.
Besides the obvious benefit of aesthetic appeal for humans during the winter months, conifers also provide wildlife habitat during this time. Shelter, food, protection from predators, and thermal protection are all important factors for birds and small mammals. So, if space and resources allow, consider adding a conifer to the landscape and boost the overall appeal.
Carol Shirk
Certified Master Gardener