Dwarf and Compact Conifers
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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 |