conifers

Pinus thunbergii 'Banshosho'

Watch for Banshoshos in the Garden

Looking lovely in the gardens this month is the dwarf Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii ‘Banshosho’. Our five year old plant is now 2′ tall x 4′ wide. Most catalogs list this Japanese selection as maturing at 3′ tall x 5′ wide, but based on the growth rate we’re seeing, that seems to be quite

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Suckin’ Suzy

Looking lovely in the garden now is Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan’. This amazing, full-size selection of Japanese cedar has long been a personal favorite. It has solid green foliage all year until cool nights arrive, at which time, the yellow tips brighten to create a truly amazing sight in the garden. Commercially, it is often sold

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Siberian Summer

Looking great in the garden despite our high temperatures is the Siberian native, Microbiota decussata. While the species typically struggles in our climate, the cultivar ‘Prides’ has been outstanding. Microbiota is essentially a groundcover juniper replacement for shade. For us, it matures with a 4′ wide spread, after 10 years. We have found that it

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Taylor-Made

Most of us plant geeks marvel at the genetic diversity of plants as we drive, and one of my passions is studying the incredible diversity our our native red cedar, Juniperus virginiana. Below is an exceptional been pole-like form, Juniperus virginiana ‘Taylor’, selected from a population in Taylor, Nebraska, and released in 1992 by the

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4Ever and Ever, Amen

The North American native Thuja plicata ‘4Ever’ is looking particularly stunning in the garden this summer. Of all the forms of Thuja plicata we’ve trialed, this is undoubtedly the brightest. Reportedly maturing at 12′ tall x 3.5′ tall, I’m left to wonder what they used the measure the size. Our 4 year old specimen is

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Mon San in More Sun

Juniperus x pfitzeriana ‘MonSan’ is looking quite exceptional in the garden. Since we live in the community of Juniper, NC, we thought we should have a significant collection of the our namesake genera. This Monrovia Nursery introduction, which is a hybrid between the Asian Juniperus chinensis and the Eurasian Juniperus sabina, is truly stunning. Although

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Garden Shots

Here’s an early June shot from the garden. The conifer in front left is Picea abies ‘Glauca Pendula Oxtail’. The weeping conifer in the distance is Cupressus glabra ‘Raywood’s Weeping’. The bright shrub in the distance is Ligustrum lucidum ‘Marble Magic’. Delve more into the world of woody ornamentals during the upcoming Southeastern Plant Symposium

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Sprucing up the Garden

The Serbian spruce, Picea omorika ‘Blue Sky’ is looking lovely at the base of the Mt. Michelle waterfall this week. We think the color of the spruce foliage nicely echos the nearby agave–a combination you won’t see in most gardens. We’re always on the lookout for more spruces that tolerate our heat and humidity.

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