One of the biggest challenges when planning a landscape is creating year round appeal. We tend to gravitate toward plants prized for their beautiful show of blooms, fruit or fall foliage. Unfortunately, that show rarely lasts beyond one season. To compensate for their bedazzling but brief appeal, we employ a variety of these beauties to cover every season. This approach isn’t entirely wrong - the dynamic nature of a well-planned landscape is one of its most attractive traits. On the other hand, it’s important to use plants that are unchanging, that are consistently beautiful no matter the season. Conifers are one such group of plants.

Conifers add unchanging beauty to your landscape, year round.

Also known as narrow-leaved or needled evergreens, conifers are by definition cone-bearing, woody plants. With hundreds of species in existence, conifers range from the lowest ground-hugging creepers to the tallest trees in existence. Most (and all of those listed below) are evergreen, meaning they do not lose their leaves in the winter. Aside from some slight color changes, most evergreen conifers maintain the same appearance year round. This attribute makes them useful for adding lasting structure and privacy to the landscape, as well as an attractive, permanent contrast to seasonal companion plantings.

While most are extremely low-maintenance and tolerant of harsh environments, some species, like Italian cypress, will not survive in Atlanta’s warm climate. Following is a list of conifer species and their cultivars that will, with proper care, not only survive but thrive in our area.

Deodar Cedar

Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) is most notable for its stately form, graceful, pendulous branches and silvery blue-green foliage. This elegant tree is at its best when used as a specimen in the landscape. Deodar cedars reach an eventual height of 50 to 70 feet and width of 35 feet after 30 or 40 years. Note: there are also prostrate varieties available. These are low, spreading forms that remain flat on the ground when young, eventually reaching only an approximate height of 6 feet at maturity.

Plum Yew

The plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) boasts bright green new growth against lustrous, dark, glossy green mature foliage and a dense, spreading habit that requires little pruning, will tolerate drought, is deer-resistant and thrives in either sun or shade. All of these qualities make plum yew a proven winner in our area. Use for massing, borders, and accents. As a species, the Plum Yew is highly variable in size and appearance, ranging from 2-foot tall spreaders to 30-foot tall trees. Anyone planting Cephalotaxus would be better suited planting a cultivar, such as one of the following.

Hinoki and Japanese False Cypress

False cypresses (Chamaecyparis obtusa and Chamaecyparis pisifera) are so-named because they resemble closely, but are not, true cypresses. Their somewhat contorted, loosely pyramidal form consists of reddish-brown, exfoliating bark and flattened, feathery sprays of foliage, ranging in color from dark, emerald green to yellow, some with white tips, depending on the cultivar. These medium to slow growers prefer well-drained soil in a sunny, but wind-protected spot. False cypresses make lovely, unique specimens in the landscape.

Japanese Cryptomeria

Japanese Cryptomeria, also known as Japanese cedar, is a large, stately, evergreen tree notable for its pyramidal or conical habit and handsome, bluish green needles that bronze in the winter. Easy to grow, this species prefers light, well-drained soil and a sunny, open location. Cryptomeria is a medium-grower that will reach 50 to 60 years at maturity; the following cultivars are much smaller and are more suitable for the typical
home landscape.

Junipers

One of the most widely used groups of plants world wide, junipers (Juniperus spp.) are highly valued for their tough composition, variety, and ability to grow in most any environment. (Most junipers will thrive and look their best when planted in light, sandy, moist, well-drained soil in full sun.) Their uses are limitless, as there are over 50 species (13 native to the U.S.) and hundreds of varieties. Junipers can be spreading, upright, narrow, wide, rounded, columnar, slow-growing, fast-growing… With so many varieties from which to use, there is likely a juniper perfectly suited to fit any landscape. Here are a few of our favorites:

Arborvitae

Arborvitaes (Thuja spp.) have the well-deserved distinction of becoming an extremely popular landscape staple over recent years. The dense, narrowly pyramidal, small to medium trees boast vivid green, flat, vertically held sprays of foliage, a tight, neat form, heat and drought tolerance once established and few pests. Use them as accents in a more formal landscape or as they are most commonly used, for tight, dense hedges and privacy screens that respond well to shearing.

Canadian Hemlock

One of the most handsome of the large coniferous trees, Canadian hemlock (Tsuga Canadensis) is valued for its graceful, pyramidal form, glossy dark green foliage and soft, feathery appearance. Hemlock is effective when massed as a screen or hedge or used alone as an accent plant. Native to the U.S., hemlocks thrive in moist shade, but work well in sunny spots, too, as long as the soil is kept moist and there is little drying wind.

Please come in to Buck Jones today to see our excellent selection of coniferous trees, shrubs and groundcovers.