Dwarf & Compact Conifers
For the Rogue Valley
Evergreen foundation plants enhance a landscape design. When designing a small garden space, small conifers can be ideal. Below are some of the best dwarf and compact conifer trees and small conifer shrubs we’ve found that grow well in the Rogue Valley region.
Dwarf and compact conifers plants list
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Approx. Size after 10 Years |
|---|---|---|
| Abies – Fir | ||
| Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ | Dwarf Balsam Fir | 2-3′ H x W |
| Abies concolor ‘Blue Cloak’ | Weeping White Fir | 10′ H x 4′ W |
| Abies concolor ‘Conica’ | Conica White Fir | 5-15′ H x 4′ W, dense/slow growth |
| Abies concolor ‘Fastigiata’ | Weeping White Fir | 8-10′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Abies koreana ‘Horstmann’s Silberlocke’ | Horstmann’s Silberlocke Fir | 10-20′ H x 6-10′ W, curved upright needles w/silver undersides |
| Abies lasocarpa v. arizonica ‘Glauca’ | Arizona Rocky Mtn. Fir, Blue CorkBark Fir | 20′ H x 15′ W, PNW native, upright purple cones |
| Berberis x stenophylla – Corallina Barberry (not a conifer, but has tiny evergreen leaves and bonsai like habit…plus orange flowers!) | ||
| Berberis s. ‘Nana Compacta’ | Compact Corallina Barberry | 2′ H x W |
| Callistemon spp. – Hardy Bottlebrush (not conifers, but very similar looking and good substitutes) | ||
| Callistemon ‘Woodlander’s Hardy Red’ | Hardy Red Bottlebrush | 4-5′ H x W |
| Callistemon pityoides ‘Mt. Kosciusco’ | Dwarf Alpine Bottlebrush | 2-3′ H x 3′ W |
| Callistmon pityoides ‘Corvallis’ | Alpine Bottlebrush | 4′ H x 3′ W |
| Callistemon p. ‘Excellent’ | Alpine Bottlebrush | 5′ H x 6′ W (wild/variable habit – open/arching) |
| Callistemon sieberi | River Bottlebrush | 5′ H x W |
| Callistemon viridiflorus | Tasmanian or Mountain Bottlebrush | 5-6′ H x W |
| Callistemon viridiflorus ‘Xera Compact’ | Compact Mountain Bottlebrush | 3-4′ H x 18-24″ W |
| Cedrus spp. – Cedar | ||
| Cedrus atlantica glauca ‘Horstmann’ | Dwarf Blue Atlas Cedar | 8-10′ H x 5-6′ W |
| Cedrus atlantica glauca ‘Pendula’ | Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar | 5-12′ H x 15-25′ W (dependant on pruning/training) |
| Cedrus deodara ‘Divinely Blue’ | Dwarf Deodar Cedar | 6′ H x 3-6’W (dependant on pruning/training) |
| Cedrus d. ‘Eisregen’ | Ice Rain (Dwarf) Deodar Cedar | 10-14′ H x 4-5′ W, super cold hardy |
| Cedrus d. ‘Feelin Blue’ | Weeping Deodar Cedar | 2-4′ H x 6′ W (depends on graft height) |
| Cedrus deodara ‘Prostrate Beauty’ | Weeping Deodar Cedar | 2-4′ H x 6-8′ W (depends on pruning/training) |
| Cedrus d. ‘Silver Mist’ | Dwarf Deodar Cedar | 5-6’H x 3’W – pale new growth (prefers pm shade), densly conical |
| Cedrus deodara ‘Snow Sprite’ | Dwarf Deodar Cedar | 4-5′ H x 3-5′ W – creamy colored new growth, likes pm shade |
| Cephalotaxus spp. – Japanese Plum Yew | ||
| Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Duke Gardens’ | Duke Gardens Japanese Plum Yew | 4-6′ H x W – slow growing w/spreading, mounded habit, pm shade |
| Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ | Upright Japanese Plum Yew | 8-10′ H x 3-5′ W *prefers some afternoon shade |
| Chamaecyparis spp. – False Cypress *all prefer part sun in our hot climate with rich soil and regular water | ||
| Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Duncanii’ | Duncan’s Dwarf Lawson’s Cypress (Port Orford Cedar) | 2-3′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Chamaecyparis l. ‘Ellwood’s Pillar’ | Ellwood’s Pillar Columnar Lawson’s Cypress | 4-6′ H x 1-2′ W – blueish tones, densely columnar |
| Chamaecyparis l. ‘Snow White’ | Snow White Lawson Cypress | 6′ H x 18-24″ W – creamy tips, blueish tones, teardrop shape |
| Chamaecyparis l. ‘Treasure Island’ | Treasure Island Lawson’s False Cypress | 3-4′ H x 2-3′ W – blonde new growth |
| Chamaecyparis l. ‘Wissel’s Saguaro’ | Wissel’s Saguaro Narrow False Cypress | 4-6′ H x 2′ W |
| Chamecyparis obtusa ‘Blue Feathers’ | Blue Feathers Hinoki False Cypress | 6-8′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Gracilis’ | Slender Hinoki False Cypress | 10-15′ H x 5-8′ W |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Compacta’ | Compact Hinoki False Cypress | 6-8′ H x 4-6′ W |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Crippsii’ | Golden Hinoki False Cypress | 8-10′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Filicoides’ | Ferspray Hinoki False Cypress | 8-10′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Nana’ | Dwarf Hinoki False Cypress | 2′ H x 2-3′ W – twisted fans of compact green foliage |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Nana Gracilis’ | Dwarf Slender Hinoki False Cypress | 3-6′ H x 2-4′ W |
| Chamaecyparis o. ‘Tetragona Aurea’ | Dwarf Golden Fernleaf Hinoki False Cypress | 6-12′ H x 3-6′ W – gold tips, pyramidal habit |
| Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Cyano-Viridis’ | Boulevard Sawara Cypress | 6-8′ H x W |
| Chamaecyparis p. ‘Dow Whiting’ | Soft Serve Sawara Cypress | 6-10′ H x 5-6′ W |
| Chamaecyparis p. ‘Filifera Aurea’ | Golden Thread-Branch Sawara Cypress | 6-8′ H x 3-7′ W |
| Chamaecyparis p. ‘Filifera Aurea Nana’ | Dwarf Golden Thread-Branch Sawara Cypress | 3-4′ H x 4-5′ W |
| Chamaecyparis p. ‘Gold Mops’ | Gold Mops Dwarf Thread-Branch Sawara Cypress | 3-4′ H x 3-5′ W |
| Chamaecyparis p. ‘Sungold’ | Sungold Dwarf Thread-Branch Sawara Cypress | 5-6′ H x 7-8′ W |
| Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Red Star’ | Red Star White Atlantic Cypress | 4-5′ H x 18″ W (eventually can get 15-20′!) dense, columnar, plum tones in winter |
| Cuppressus spp. – Cypress | ||
| Cupressus m. ‘Wilma Goldcrest’ | Wilma Goldcrest Golden Monterey Cypress | 6-8′ H x 1-2′ W |
| Cupressus s. ‘Monshel’ | (Dwarf) Tiny Tower Italian Cypress | 25-30′ H x 3′ W |
| Cupressus s. ‘Totem’ | Totem Italian Cypress | 15-20′ H x 18″ W – the tightest/smallest available |
| Hebe – also not a conifer but some species resemble dwarf Cypress | ||
| Hebe cuppressoides | Whipcord Hebe | 3-4′ H x W |
| Hebe ‘Karo Golden Esk’ | Karo Golden Esk Hebe | 2′ H x W |
| Hebe salicornioides | Whipcord Hebe | 2′ H x W |
| Juniperus – Junipers | ||
| Juniperus chinensis ‘Spartan’ | Spartan Juniper | 12-15′ H x 3-5′ W, green, narrowly pyramidal w/tight branching |
| Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ | Hollywood Juniper | 15′ H x 10′ W |
| Juniperus communis ‘Goldcone’ | Goldcone Juniper | 8-10′ H x 3′ W |
| Juniperus conferta | Shore Juniper | 1′ H x 5-7′ W |
| Juniperus horizontalis ‘Blue Chip’ | Blue Chip Prostrrate Juniper | 1′ H x 6-8′ W |
| Juniperus h. ‘Wiltonii’ | Blue Rug Prostrate Juniper | 6″ H x 6-8′ W |
| Juniperus s. (virginiana) ‘Blue Arrow’ | Blue Arrow Columnar Juniper | 12-15′ H x 2′ W – improved cultivar, more tight/uniform growth |
| Juniperus scopulorum ‘Moonglow’ | Moonglow Juniper | 15-20′ H x 8-12′ W |
| Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’ | Skyrocket Columnar Juniper | 15-20′ H x 2-3′ W |
| Juniperus scopulorum ‘Wichita Blue’ | Wichita Blue Juniper | 10-15′ H x 4-6′ W |
| Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star | ‘Blue Star’ Juniper | 1-3′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Picea spp. – Spruce | ||
| Picea abies ‘Munitum’ | Dwarf Bird’s Nest Spruce | 3-4′ H x W |
| Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ | Bird’s Nest Spruce | 3-5′ H x 4-6′ W |
| Picea abies ‘Pendula’ | Weeping Norway Spruce | 3-8′ H x 10′ W (depends on staking) |
| Picea bicolor ‘Howell’s Dwarf’ | Dwarf Alcock’s Spruce | 6′ H x W |
| Picea pungens glauca ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ | Semi-Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce | 15-30′ H x 15′ W – slow growing, holds blue color well |
| Picea p. g. ‘Blue Totem’ | Fastigiate (columnar) Colorado Blue Spruce | 12-15′ H x 2-5’W – tight branching, steely blue color |
| Picea p. g. ‘Fat Albert’ | Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce | 10-15′ H x 10-12′ W |
| Picea p. g. ‘Montgomery’ | Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce | 5′ H x W |
| Picea p. ‘Glauca Globosa’ | Globe Blue Spruce | 3-5′ H x 5-6′ W (depends on graft height) |
| Picea p. g. ‘Procumbens’ | Prostrate Colorado Blue Spruce | 1′ H x 8′ W |
| Picea sitch. ‘Papoose’ | ‘Papoose’ Dwarf Sitka Spruce | 2-3′ H in 10 years, 2″ a year |
| Pinus spp. – Pine | ||
| Pinus aristata | Bristlecone Pine | 20′ H x 15′ W – SLOW |
| Pinus bungeana | Lacebark Pine | 20-30’+ H x 20’+ W – SLOW, exfoliating/mottled bark |
| Pinus cembra ‘Chalet’ | Chalet Swiss Stone Pine | 10-12′ H x 4-5′ W – slow growing, soft/blueish needles, super cold hardy |
| Pinus cembra ‘Glauca’ | Blue Swiss Stone Pine | 12-20′ H x 10-12′ W – super slow, tolerate part shade, blueish needles |
| Pinus contorta ssp. murrayana | Murrayana/Lodgepole Pine | 6-12’+ H x 4-6’+ W – SLOW( & variable), good bonsai |
| Pinus edulis | Two-Needled Pinyon Pine | 10-30′ H x W – SLOW, edible seeds (pinenuts) |
| Pinus mugo ‘Fastigiata’ | Columnar Mugo Pine | 6′ H x 2-3′ W |
| Pinus mugo mugo | Mugo Pine | 4-8′ H x 8-15′ W |
| Pinus m. ‘Pumilio’ | Dwarf Mugo Pine | 3-4′ H x W |
| Pinus m. ‘Sherwood Compact’ | Dwarf Mugo Pine | 2′ H x W |
| Pinus m. ‘Slowmound’ | Dwarf Mugo Pine | 2-3′ H x W – uniformly compact, slow growing |
| Pinus m. ‘Tannenbaum’ | Upright Mugo Pine | 6-10′ H x 4-6′ W |
| Pinus nigra ‘Frank’s Columnar’ | Columnar Dwarf Austrian Pine | 8-12′ H x 2-4′ W – shorter needled, wind/cold tolerant |
| Pinus nigra ‘Hornbrookiana’ | Dwarf Austrian Pine | 2-3′ H x 6′ W |
| Pinus nigra ‘ Oregon Green’ | Compact Austrian Pine | 10-12′ H x 8-10′ W |
| Pinus parviflora ‘Cleary’ | Dwarf Japanese White Pine | 6-10′ H x 3-5′ W |
| Pinus pinea | Italian Stone Pine | 25-30′ H x W – pine nuts! (eventually…) broad/flat-topped w/ age |
| Pinus strobus ‘Blue Shag’ | Dwarf Eastern White Pine | 2-4′ H x W -fast growing, dense/compact, prefers pm shade |
| Pinus strobus ‘Horsford’s Dwarf’ | Dwarf Eastern White Pine | 3-4′ H x W (depends on graft height) |
| Pinus strobus ‘Nana’ | Dwarf Eastern White Pine | 3-7′ H x 6-12’W – depends on graft height |
| Pinus strobus ‘Pendula’ | Weeping Eastern White Pine | 6-15′ H x 10-15′ W |
| Pinus sylvestris ‘Green Penguin’ | Dwarf Scotch Pine | 3-4′ H x 1-2′ W – super hardy, dense/pyramidal growth, rich green |
| Pinus sylvestris ‘Hillside Creeper’ | Prostrate Dwarf Scotch Pine | 2′ H x 6-8′ W |
| Pinus thunbergiana ‘Banshoho’ | Dwarf Japanese Black Pine | 3-5′ H x W |
| Pinus thunbergiana ‘ Thunderhead’ | Dwarf Japanese Black Pine | 6-8′ H x 5-6′ W |
| Podocarpus spp. – Yew Pine/Totara | ||
| Podocarpus macrophyllus ‘Maki’ | Shrubby Yew Pine | 8-15′ H x 2-4′ W |
| Podocarpus alpinus ‘Red Tips’ | Alpine Totara | 4-8′ H x 3-6′ W |
| Taxus spp. – Yew | ||
| Taxus x media ‘Beanpole’ | Beanpole Columnar Yew | 7-10′ H x 12-18″ W |
| Taxus x media ‘Dark Green Spreader’ | Dark Green Spreader Yew | 4′ H x 5-8′ W |
| Taxus x media ‘Densiformis’ | Dense Spreading Yew | 3-4′ H x 4-6′ W |
| Taxus x media ‘Hicksii’ | Hick’s Columnar Yew | 10-12′ H x 3-4′ W |
| Tsuga spp. – Hemlock | ||
| Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’ | Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock | 5-10′ H x 8-15′ W |
| Tsuga mertensiana | Mountain Hemlock | 15-30’+ H x 8-15′ W *can take boggy soils |
| Sequoiadendron – Sequoia | ||
| Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Pendulum’ | Weeping Giant Sequioa | 10-20′ H x 3-4′ W |
Want more help?
If you’d like more help with plant, shrub and/or tree selection or assistance with your landscape design, get details on our Design & Consult page about what types of services we provide.
