Conifer cultivars for the garden
If I had unlimited space, I would plant a group of Cedrus deodara, Deodar cedar and let them grow as tall and wide as they pleased. (They can easily grow to 80 feet or taller and at least 40 feet across). While this graceful evergreen may be too large to consider for your garden, there are many selections of conifers that are dwarf when compared to the species. In this case, I am talking about cultivars that generally mature at 10 feet to 20 feet or less. Many conifers are well suited for incorporating into your perennial garden, growing as specimens in pots or combining in a mixed border with other trees and shrubs. Truly four-season plants, they provide texture, evergreen color and interesting forms. Some are dark green while others have blue or variegated foliage. And, many appear to be drought tolerant once they are established for a growing season. If you like the look of Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica ‘Yoshino’ but don’t have the space or need for a tree that grows 40 feet to 50 feet tall and 10 feet across, there are a number of selections to consider that act more like shrubs and take up a lot less space. These include Cryptomeria japonica ‘Globosa Nana’ which forms a tidy globe and grows 6 feet to 8 feet tall by 4 feet to 8 feet wide; and Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis ‘Black Dragon,’ which has irregular pyramidal growth that causes it to mature at 10 feet to 12 feet tall but only 3 feet to 4 feet wide.
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