Why grow conifers?
Conifers rarely demand fertilizer , resist louse and diseases and only need to be water during dry spells . And these various , low-down - criminal maintenance flora come in an raiment of shapes other than the ubiquitous Great Pyramid and in a surprising range of colors , admit blues , grays , yellows , maroon and , of course , greens .
Find the right conifer for your garden
There are plenty of delicious conifers for every garden from glide to coast . And since a conifer can be a significant purchase and a long - terminus investing , you want to check that you ’re choosing the correct one . Many cultivars will stay little and may grow for several years or even decennium with little to no maintenance . Here are some to consider .
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Deodar cedar
Cedrus deodara‘Feelin Blue’
TypeTreeFoliageThis gnome creeping cedar with unique dissemination form and gamey - green leaf is a right selection for small spacesLightFull sunSize4 to 5 ft . grandiloquent , 6 to 10 ft . wideHardinessCold sturdy in USDA zones 6 to 9
False cypress
Chamaecyparis pisiferaSoft Serve®
TypeTreeFoliageCompact delusive cypress tree with elegant ferny branches that are bright green on top and silver - blue on the undersidesLightFull to part sunSize6 to 10 foot . tall , 5 to 6 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zona 4 to 8
Concolor fir
Abies concolor
TypeTreeFoliageNative American white fir tree with square torso and offset of easygoing , flatten gamy - green needles and barrelful - shaped ( 3 to 6 in . long ) conesLightFull sunlight to part shadeSize40 to 70 ft . tall , 20 to 30 foot . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7
Juniper
Juniper chinensis‘Hetzii Columnaris’
TypeTreeFoliageUpright juniper with crisp greenish foliage on dense , miserly branch of grim blue - green scalelike foliage ( female produce black - green berries in fall)LightFull to part sunSize12 to 15 foot . tall , 10 to 15 foot . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9
Larch
Larix decidua
TypeTreeFoliageDeciduous coniferous tree well noted for diffuse green foliage that turns golden yellow in fall before dropping and crimson - brown upright cone shape covered with browned hairLightFull sunSize60 to 100 ft . tall , 20 to 30 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zone 2 to 6
Canadian hemlock
Tsuga canadensis‘MonJers’
TypeTreeFoliageNew form of this evergreen with glowing aureate yellow foliage on elegant , aching limb that tends to orange in fallLightFull to part sunSize6 to 10 ft . tall , 2 to 3 foot . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8
Mugo pine
Pinus mugo
TypeShrubFoliageCompact , bushy , multi - stemmed conifer with bright gullible phonograph needle in bundles of two and brown , cone-shaped 2- to 3 - in . conesLightFull to part sunSize15 to 20 foot . tall , 25 to 30 foot . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 2 to 7
Dawn redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
TypeTreeFoliageConical conifer with feathery leafage that emerge low-cal green and matures to mystifying green in summer and red - bronze in fallLightFull sunlight Size 70 to 100 ft . magniloquent , 15 to 25 ft . wideHardinessCold stalwart in USDA zone 4 to 8
Norway spruce
Picea abies‘Pusch’
TypeShrubFoliageSprawling dwarf evergreen with bright green needles on obtuse offshoot and tiny red cones that suppurate to brownLightFull to part sunSize1 to 5 ft . tall , 2 to 3 ft . wideHardinessCold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 7
Hicks yew
Taxusxmedia‘Hicksii’
TypeShrubFoliageLong branch of this columnlike evergreen are cover in mild , dark unripe needles and ruddy , Chuck Berry - like conesLightFull sunshine to part shadeSize12 to 20 ft . tall , 8 to 12 ft . wideHardinessCold unfearing in USDA zones 4 to 7
